Bug FAQGreen Tortoise Beetle
Cassida circumdata · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Also called: Tortoise beetle
The green tortoise beetle is a metallic green beetle with compound green eyes. It lives in the Indomalayan region and the South Pacific islands. Its eggs hatch in about two to six days, and the beetle is used to control unwanted Convolvulaceae plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is metallic green with compound green eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
It belongs to the tortoise beetle family Chrysomelidae.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
It is employed in biological control programs against problematic Convolvulaceae.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It is used to biologically control harmful Convolvulaceae plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Eggs incubate for about two to six days before hatching.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes Indomalaya and the South Pacific islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Hawaii.
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
What does the green tortoise beetle look like?
It is metallic green with compound green eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this beetle?
It occurs in the Indomalayan region and on South Pacific islands.
Source: Wikipedia
How long does it take for the eggs to hatch?
The incubation period is roughly two to six days.
Source: Wikipedia
Is this beetle used for pest control?
Yes, it is used to control harmful Convolvulaceae plants in the field.
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/Cassida_circumdata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.