Diet

• Adults: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves, shoots and other tender plant tissues. Many species specialize on plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).

• Larvae: Feed on host-plant foliage, often remaining on the underside of leaves while developing.

• Several species can produce conspicuous feeding damage when populations are high.

Range

• Lemini is a widely distributed tribe of leaf beetles in the subfamily Criocerinae, occurring throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.

• Numerous species occur in Mexico, including tropical and subtropical regions of Guerrero.

• Lema species can be encountered around Zihuatanejo, particularly where suitable Solanaceae and other herbaceous host plants occur.

Habitat

• Found in tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, woodland edges, scrub, grasslands, agricultural areas, gardens and disturbed vegetation.

• Adults and larvae are usually found directly on host-plant foliage.

• Around Zihuatanejo, sunny clearings, roadsides, gardens and forest edges with abundant herbaceous vegetation can be productive places to look.

Size

• Adult length: approximately 4–10 mm (0.16–0.4 in), depending on species.

• Body generally elongated and somewhat cylindrical, often with a narrow head and pronotum.

• Colouration varies widely, including red, orange, yellow, brown, black and metallic forms.