Bug FAQSpotted Asparagus Beetle
Crioceris duodecimpunctata · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Chrysomelidae
Also called: Twelve-spotted Asparagus Beetle
Source: Wikipedia
Adults are 5 to 6.5 mm long, reddish-orange on the head, pronotum and wing covers, with a black scutellum and twelve black spots on the elytra. They occur throughout the Palearctic region, including the British Isles.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The head, pronotum and wing covers are reddish-orange, and the small triangular scutellum is black. Each elytron bears six black dots, for a total of twelve spots.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure between 5 and 6.5 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
The larvae’s feeding on asparagus berries makes this beetle the second most important pest of asparagus, and adults damage shoots and leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae specialize on asparagus berries, while adults prefer tender shoots and leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Their native range covers the entire Palearctic region, also including the British Isles.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 32 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Oregon, Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Vermont, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Is the spotted asparagus beetle a problem for my garden?
Yes, its larvae feed on asparagus berries and adults chew shoots and leaves, causing noticeable damage to asparagus crops.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I recognize a spotted asparagus beetle?
Look for a small 5 to 6.5 mm beetle with reddish-orange head, pronotum and elytra, a black scutellum, and twelve black spots on the wing covers.
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/Crioceris_duodecimpunctata
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.