The poplar leaf beetle (Chrysomela populi) is a striking woodland insect known for its ladybug-like appearance, found across most regions of Europe and Asia. When threatened, the larvae emit an oily, foul-smelling liquid (salicylaldehyde) from glands on their back. They brilliantly manufacture this deterrent themselves by extracting salicin from the poplar and willow leaves they eat and chemically transforming it inside their glands. Both adults and larvae are voracious leaf-eaters, often consuming so much foliage that they skeletonize the leaves, leaving behind only the tough veins. I encountered this handsome individual repeatedly in many forested locations across Sweden.