About Trirhabda flavolimbata (Mannerheim, 1843)
Trirhabda flavolimbata, commonly known as the coyote brush leaf beetle, is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle that belongs to the Chrysomelidae family. It is found in coastal scrubland or chaparral habitats of California. Its primary host plant is coyote brush, but it has also been recorded feeding on other Baccharis species, as well as Aster, Senecio, Artemisia, Solidago, and Eriodictyon. Both adult and larval coyote brush leaf beetles have a metallic green coloration. This coloration may act as warning coloration, because both life stages are toxic, from chemicals they ingest from coyote brush. Coyote brush leaf beetles produce one brood per season. They lay their eggs in soil, where the eggs stay through summer and winter before hatching. After hatching, larvae feed heavily on coyote brush, then return to the soil to pupate for approximately two weeks. Larvae are typically active from February to March, while adults are active from April to May.
