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Gardening with Wildlife in Mind

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Green tortoise beetle - Cassida viridis - Family: Chrysomelidae

Green tortoise beetle - Cassida viridisGreen tortoise beetle - Cassida viridis
© Roger Key/English Nature
UK distribution - East Anglia, Midlands, North, South East, South West

This is a bright green tortoise beetle commonly seen on white dead nettle growing as a casual weed in gardens or on water mint in a garden pond.

When attacked by predatory insects, especially ants, tortoise beetles grip the leaf surface hard with their feet and pull themselves down, presenting no grip to the predator which usually gives up. Its very spiny larva holds a bundle of cast skins and droppings over its back which it uses to fend off predators and parasites. It is widespread in gardens, particularly where there are ponds and ditches with water mint nearby.

Food

Plant-feeder on various on the mint family particularly white dead nettle, hemp nettle and water mint (Mentha aquatica).

Plants

Hedge woundwort, Marsh woundwort, Sage, Water mint, White dead-nettle

Predators

Ants

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