ELM LEAF BEETLE

ELM LEAF BEETLE
The Elm Leaf Beetle is a serious pest of the elm tree, although it has not widely spread. Some severe local infestations can completely strip a tree of all of its leaves. Adults are small beetles, about ¼ inch, mostly yellow with black stripes running down the back. The adults leave small round holes in the leaves when feeding. They may go through three to four generations in one summer.

Life Cycle
The beetle lays long yellow eggs in clusters on the underside of leaves. The larvae hatch and reach a length of about ½ inch. While feeding, they leave only the skeleton of the leaf. When they are ready to mature, they crawl down the trunk to pupate in the debris at the base.