asparagus beetle

Common asparagus beetle (Crioceris asparagi).

asparagus beetle, (genus Crioceris or Lema), any member of two genera that are important pests of the leaf beetle family, Chrysomelidae (order Coleoptera). The adult beetles are red, yellow, and black in colour and about 7 mm (almost 0.3 inch) long. They feed on and deposit oval black eggs on young asparagus plants. These species, which can be serious pests, were accidentally introduced into North America from Europe about 1862; they thrived and became widespread in a short time because they had no natural predators. The most common species are Lema trilinea, Crioceris asparagi, and C. duodecimpunctata.