Bug FAQCoyote Brush Leaf Beetle
Trirhabda flavolimbata · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Coyote brush leaf beetles are metallic green as both larvae and adults. They live in California’s coastal scrub and chaparral, where they feed mainly on coyote brush but also on several other shrubs and herbs. One generation appears each year; eggs are laid in the soil, larvae feed in February-March, pupate for about two weeks, and adults emerge in April-May (-).
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Both the immature and adult stages have a metallic green coloration.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found in coastal scrublands and chaparral habitats of California.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The primary host plant is coyote brush, but they also feed on other Baccharis species and on plants such as Aster, Senecio, Artemisia, Solidago, and Eriodictyon.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
They produce a single brood each season. Eggs are deposited in the soil and remain there through summer and winter before hatching.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Larvae are active mainly in February and March, while adults are seen from April to May.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Their range is limited to California, where they inhabit coastal scrub and chaparral.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are coyote brush leaf beetles active?
Larvae appear in February-March and adults emerge in April-May.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do they eat?
They primarily feed on coyote brush but also consume other Baccharis species and several herbaceous plants such as Aster, Senecio, Artemisia, Solidago, and Eriodictyon.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find them?
They live in California’s coastal scrub and chaparral habitats.
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/Trirhabda_flavolimbata
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.