Dogbane leaf beetle
The Dogbane leaf beetle's shifting blue-green and copper-gold sheen comes from the fine structure of its shell, and both sexes feed only on dogbane and milkweed.
| Where | Prairies, roadsides and dogbane patches |
|---|---|
| Size | 8 to 11 mm body length |
| When | May to August |
The Dogbane leaf beetle is a small, oblong beetle with an iridescent green head and copper-gold, dimpled wing covers that shift color as the light changes. Adults measure only about 8 to 11 mm long.
Both adults and larvae feed only on dogbane and milkweed; larvae drop off the plant to feed on its roots, while adults stay on the leaves and stems above ground. Adults emerge in early summer, live for six to eight weeks, and mate in mid- to late summer before the single yearly generation ends.
Traits
Habitat
Grassland
Colour
Green, Blue, Metallic
Active
Day
To people
Safe to handle; it does not sting or bite people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Larger, about 12 mm long, with an orange-and-black pattern rather than the Dogbane leaf beetle's all-over iridescent green and copper sheen, though both feed on milkweed family plants.
Questions
Is the Dogbane leaf beetle dangerous to people?
Safe to handle; it does not sting or bite people.
When can you see the Dogbane leaf beetle?
The Dogbane leaf beetle can be seen from May to August, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by kenkneidel, CC0, iNaturalist Licence
Report a mistake in this entry
Beetles›Leaf beetles›Chrysochus
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.