Red Poplar Leaf Beetle vs Blue Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Red Poplar Leaf Beetle	Blue Rove Beetle
Scientific Name	Chrysomela populi	Paederus fuscipes
Order	Coleoptera	Coleoptera
Family	Chrysomelidae	Staphylinidae
Size	10-12 mm	6-8 mm
Habitat	Rivers & Streams	Farmland
Diet	Herbivores	Herbivores
Regions	Europe, Asia	South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Red Poplar Leaf Beetle

A shiny red-orange beetle with a black head, commonly found on poplar and willow trees. Larvae release a pungent salicylaldehyde when disturbed.

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Larvae convert compounds from willow leaves into a chemical that smells like almonds to deter predators.

A small, slender beetle with metallic blue elytra and an orange abdomen. It is an important biological control agent in rice paddies.

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Outbreaks of skin dermatitis called 'Paederus dermatitis' occur when people unknowingly crush these beetles on their skin.