{"id":4479,"date":"2023-12-14T13:48:47","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T13:48:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pawel.stefanoff.pl\/bugs\/?p=4479"},"modified":"2026-06-27T13:51:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T13:51:28","slug":"2023-12-sceloenopla-the-beetle-that-mines-leaves-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pawel.stefanoff.pl\/bugs\/posts\/2023-12-sceloenopla-the-beetle-that-mines-leaves-en\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Sceloenopla: The beetle that mines leaves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sceloenopla<\/em> is a diverse Neotropical genus of leaf beetles (family <em>Chrysomelidae<\/em>) comprising over 140 described species, several of which are native to Ecuador. They belong to a group often referred to as tortoise beetles due to the flattened, reinforced margins on their wing covers (elytra). They are also known as leaf miners because of the larvae&#8217;s unique feeding habits. Upon hatching, the larvae burrow into a host leaf, eating the inner tissue while leaving the protective outer layers intact. This tunneling behavior creates visible squiggly trails or blotches, giving the impression that the insect is &#8220;mining&#8221; the plant. I encountered this fascinating individual in Yasun\u00ed National Park during my very first photography excursion into the Amazon rainforest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sceloenopla is a diverse Neotropical genus of leaf beetles (family Chrysomelidae) comprising over 140 described species, several of which are 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