Bug FAQAsian Oak Leaf Beetle
Demotina modesta · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Also called: Leaf beetle
The Asian Oak Leaf Beetle is extremely common on oak trees in the southeastern United States. It breeds in the summer and is known to reproduce without males in part of its native range.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is very abundant on oak trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is very abundant on oak trees.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Females lay single eggs on the undersides of leaves and cover them with excrement.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
It breeds during the summer months.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
It is a summer breeder.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes Japan and Korea.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
In part of its native range it reproduces parthenogenetically, and no males have been found in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 22 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in North America; introduced in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What trees does the Asian Oak Leaf Beetle affect?
It feeds heavily on oak leaves, often causing noticeable damage to oak trees.
Source: Wikipedia
When are these beetles active?
They breed in the summer, so you’ll see the most activity during those months.
Source: Wikipedia
Do they reproduce without males?
Yes, in part of their native range they are parthenogenetic, and no males have been recorded in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Chrysomelidae)
Spotted Cucumber BeetleDiabrotica undecimpunctataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Bean WeevilAcanthoscelides obtectusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Cowpea WeevilCallosobruchus maculatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Swamp Milkweed Leaf BeetleLabidomera clivicollisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Alder Leaf BeetleAgelastica alniDamages trees, gardens or crops
Dogbane Leaf BeetleChrysochus auratusSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demotina_modesta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.