Bug FAQMicrorhopala xerene
Microrhopala xerene · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Adult Microrhopala xerene are tiny leaf beetles about 3.6 to 4.6 mm long and are black with orange-red markings on the pronotum and elytra. They occur across much of North America, recorded from many Canadian provinces and U.S. states. These beetles feed on a variety of goldenrod, aster and ragweed species such as Solidago and Symphyotrichum.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
They reach a length of roughly 3.6 to 4.6 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They have been recorded feeding on several species of Solidago, Aster, Symphyotrichum, Ambrosia and related plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Microrhopala xerene is native to North America, found in Canada and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 29 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine.
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 Microrhopala xerene look like?
The beetle is black with orange-red markings on its pronotum and wing covers, and it measures about 3.6 to 4.6 mm long.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is Microrhopala xerene found?
It lives across many parts of Canada and the United States in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants does Microrhopala xerene eat?
It feeds on various goldenrod, aster and ragweed species such as Solidago, Aster and Symphyotrichum.
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_xerene
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.