leaf beetle


noun

any of numerous, often brightly colored beetles of the family Chrysomelidae, that feed on the leaves of plants, the larvae of which infest the roots, stem, and leaves.

Origin of leaf beetle

First recorded in 1850–55

British Dictionary definitions for leaf beetle

leaf beetle

noun

any of a large family of beetles (Chrysomelidae) that includes more than 25,000 species, mostly leaf feeders and mostly brightly coloured, with a metallic sheen. It includes the notorious Colorado beetle, the bloody-nosed beetle and the flea beetles (Phyllotreta species) which attack young cabbage plants