Bug FAQBlack-punctured leaf beetle
Galeruca tanaceti · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Source: Wikipedia
The black-punctured leaf beetle is a small, matte-black beetle that lives in sunny, dry places. It is found across the Palearctic region from Portugal to Japan, including the Near East and North Africa. Adults appear from June to October, lay eggs in autumn, and the larvae emerge in spring after winter.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The beetle has a broadly oval, smooth, convex body that is matte black and densely dotted with punctures.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
It grows to about 6 to 11 mm long (0.24 to 0.43 in).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers dry, sunny habitats such as meadows and grassy areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Both adults and larvae eat many plants, especially members of the Asteraceae and Brassicaceae families and other herbs like thyme and St. John’s wort.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are present from June through October; they lay eggs in September to October, larvae hatch after winter in late April to May, and pupate in the ground in late May or June.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
You can see adults from early summer until autumn.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range covers the Palearctic realm from Portugal to Japan, plus the Near East and North Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Galeruca tanaceti is the type species of its genus and is found throughout the Palearctic region.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do they damage?
They feed on many garden and crop plants, especially tansy, yarrow, knapweed, thistles, and various herbs.
Source: Wikipedia
When are they most active?
Adults are active from June through October, laying eggs in the fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where might I find them?
Look for them in dry, sunny meadows and grassy spots across Europe, Asia, the Near East, and North Africa.
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/Galeruca_tanaceti
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.