Knotgrass Leaf Beetle vs Red Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Knotgrass Leaf Beetle Red Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Chrysolina hyperici Platydracus maculosus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Staphylinidae
Size 5-7 mm 15-22 mm
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions Europe (native), introduced to Australia and North America Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Knotgrass Leaf Beetle

A rounded, metallic bronze to coppery-green beetle that was introduced to control St. John's wort. It has a smooth, convex body with fine punctation across the elytra.

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Did You Know?

Introduced to Australia in the 1930s, it was one of the earliest successful biological control agents used against a weed in that country.

Red Rove Beetle

A large, brightly marked rove beetle with reddish elytra spotted with dark markings and a densely pubescent thorax. It is one of the most colorful North American staphylinids.

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Did You Know?

This beetle can produce audible stridulatory sounds by rubbing specialized structures on its abdomen against the underside of the elytra.