''Chrysolina quadrigemina'' is a

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

of the family

Chrysomelidae The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 (and probably at least 50,000) species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle ...

. The species was described by Suffrian in 1851. It is native to Europe and North Africa. It feeds on ''

Hypericum perforatum ''Hypericum perforatum'', known as St. John's wort, is a flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae and the type species of the genus ''Hypericum''. Possibly a hybrid between '' H. maculatum'' and '' H. attenuatum'', the species can be found a ...

'' and other members of the genus. This plant is an introduced invasive pest in North America and Australia. The beetle was introduced in these regions as a

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, such as insects, mites, weeds, and plant diseases, using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms, but typically also invo ...

.Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Biological Control. ''Chrysolina quadrigemina''
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References

Chrysomelinae Biological pest control Taxa named by Christian Wilhelm Ludwig Eduard Suffrian Beetles described in 1851 {{Chrysomelinae-stub