Alder Leaf Beetle

Agelastica almi

Date First Recorded in the Garden: 10/05/2022

Family Chrysomelidae – Leaf Beetles

A large family of Beetles with around 40,000 species described and about 250 species known in the UK. A family of plant eating (phytophagous) insects, with both adults and larva consuming plant tissues.

Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica almi

We are not overly confident in the identification of this species. It is unusual in that it has previous been recorded as extinct in the UK, but records have been growing since the beginning of the the centuary and now it is considered widespread, especially across the south of England and can be abundant.

In the Garden

The larval food plant as the name suggests is Alder but has been known on both Hazel and Apple, both of which we have in the Garden. Often considered a pest species but advice seems to be the damage it can do to Alder, if you have this growing in your Garden, whilst looking severe can be tolerated by the tree and control is unlikely to be necessary.