Leaf beetles

• Adult leaf beetles may look like ladybird beetles, but with longer antennae; distinguishing between the 2 is important because ladybirds are beneficial insects.
• Length ranges from about 4–15mm.
• Colours can be metallic, pink, yellow, beige or red.
• Adults may have finely patterned elytra (wing covers); some of these are strongly patterned with red and black.
• Larvae have well developed dark heads and 3 pairs of legs, most are pale, some with dark stripes along the body.
• Larvae feed on the soft, young growth in the crowns, giving a typical 'broom top' appearance.
• Scalloped leaf edges indicate adult leaf beetles feeding.

Eucalyptus tortoise beetle (Paropsis atomaria)

• Common and widely distributed throughout south-eastern Queensland and south-eastern Australia.

Eucalyptus leaf beetle (Paropsisterna cloelia)

• Found in south-eastern and northern Queensland.

• Affects trees less than 3 years old.
• Susceptible to eucalyptus tortoise beetle (Paropsis atomaria):
  • Gympie messmate (Eucalyptus cloeziana)
  • blackbutt (E. pilularis)
  • spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora)
  • Dunn's white gum (E. dunnii).
• Susceptible to eucalyptus leaf beetle (Paropsisterna cloelia):
  • rose gum and hybrids (Eucalyptus grandis)
  • Dunn's white gum (E. dunnii).

• Defoliation by clusters of feeding larvae.
• Trees typically develop a 'broom top' appearance.
• Repeated, widespread defoliation affects growth.
• High densities of larvae can stop the central tree stem growing more strongly than side stems (apical dominance) so 'bushing' may occur in the crown (top part of the tree).
• Scalloped leaf edges identify damage caused by adults feeding.

• Carnegie, A, Lawson, SA, Smith, T, Pegg, GS, Stone, C, and McDonald, J 2008, Healthy hardwoods: a field guide to pests, diseases and nutritional disorders in subtropical hardwoods, Forest and Wood Products Australia, Victoria.
• Pests and diseases image library (PaDIL)
• Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)