Bug FAQChalepus bicolor
Chalepus bicolor · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Adults are tiny, measuring about 6 to 8 mm long. They have a bright red back-plate on the thorax and dark wing covers. They live across many parts of North America, from Ontario down through many U.S. states. They feed on several grass species such as Dichanthelium and Panicum.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The beetle’s pronotum is red while its elytra are dark.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults grow to about 6.3 to 7.6 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It has been observed feeding on grasses like Dichanthelium clandestinum, D. nitidum, Panicum microcarpon and P. oligosanthes.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America, recorded in Ontario, Canada and many U.S. states.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does Chalepus bicolor look like?
It has a red pronotum and dark-colored elytra.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find Chalepus bicolor?
It occurs in North America, from Ontario, Canada to many states across the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants does it eat?
It feeds on several grass species, including Dichanthelium and Panicum.
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/Chalepus_bicolor
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.