Bug FAQMicrorhopala excavata
Microrhopala excavata · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Adults are small beetles about 4 to 6 mm long, with males a bit smaller than females. They are shiny black or metallic green, blue or purple in color. They occur across much of Canada and the United States, from the Atlantic provinces to the Pacific coast and from the Gulf of Mexico up to the Canadian north. They feed on plants such as Doellingeria umbellata, various Solidago species, sunflowers and Heterotheca villosa.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Males measure about 4 to 5.6 mm and females about 4.6 to 6.6 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It has been recorded in many Canadian provinces and U.S. states across North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on Doellingeria umbellata, Solidago species, Helianthus annuus and Heterotheca villosa.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America, found throughout Canada and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 24 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Vermont, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Illinois.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does Microrhopala excavata look like?
They are small beetles about 4 to 6 mm long and can be black, metallic green, blue or purple.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is Microrhopala excavata found?
It occurs across many provinces in Canada and many states in the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants does Microrhopala excavata eat?
It feeds on Doellingeria umbellata, Solidago species, sunflowers and Heterotheca villosa.
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/Microrhopala_excavata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.