Lema decempunctata is a small leaf beetle, about 1/4 in (5–6 mm) long, that feeds only on goji (wolfberry) leaves. Its name means "ten-spotted," yet many beetles have only a few black spots or none. It lives in East Asia—Japan, Korea, and China—is not found in the US, and has no common English name.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Slender, about 1/4 in (5–6 mm) long, with reddish-brown wing covers. The black spots vary from none to ten, and the left and right sides sometimes don't match.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Goji shrubs
- Goji farms
- Range
- East Asia: Japan, Korea, and China. It is not a North American species.
Behavior
- Diet
- Both adults and larvae eat the leaves of Chinese wolfberry (goji).
- Overwintering
- Adults survive the winter and become active again in spring.
Life cycle
- Larva
- Larvae coat themselves in sticky slime and carry their own droppings on their backs, chewing holes in young leaves.
- Caterpillar food plants
- Chinese wolfberry (goji)
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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