Thistle Tortoise Beetle
Cassida rubiginosa
The adult is a small, rounded leaf beetle found on thistles, burdock, and other plants in open fields, roadsides, and disturbed ground. It feeds by chewing leaf tissue, leaving small holes or translucent patches. Its broad, flattened wing covers form a tortoise-like shield that helps protect the legs and body when it clings tightly to a leaf. Adults can fly to new host plants, but they often rely first on armor and stillness to avoid danger.
- Type
- Shell
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Thistle Tortoise Beetle