Native to the Mediterranean region and established farther north in Europe.
Fine-art photographic collection
Chrysolina americana
A Mediterranean beetle that times its life around the oils of rosemary and lavender.
About this species
Rosemary Beetle
Chrysolina americana(Linnaeus, 1758)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Despite its name, the rosemary beetle is native to southern Europe and North Africa. Adults and larvae feed on aromatic herbs, while the adult avoids the hottest part of summer through a period of inactivity.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Chrysomelidae · Chrysolina
Accepted species; despite the epithet americana, it is native to the Mediterranean region. · checked 2026-07-15
Mediterranean region and introduced European localitiesBroad documented range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Gardens, shrublands and cultivated areas containing rosemary, lavender or related aromatic plants.
Adults and larvae can be found on host plants through much of the growing season.
Feeds on rosemary, lavender, sage and related Lamiaceae.
Solitary.
What makes this species remarkable?
Both larvae and adults tolerate—and feed directly on—plants rich in potent aromatic oils, including rosemary, lavender, sage and thyme.
Adults largely shut down during the hottest summer weeks, then resume feeding, mating and egg-laying as autumn conditions return.
After appearing in Britain in the 1990s, it spread rapidly through gardens by exploiting widely planted culinary herbs.