The Tansy Beetle Chrysolina graminis is a wonderfully iridescent leaf beetle about 1cm long. It was once widespread in the UK but now has a severely limited range. The main site is along the banks of the River Ouse as it flows through York, with a much smaller, recently discovered, population at Woodwalton Fen. There is currently a relocation project which involves moving some of the York population to Woodwalton. A survey in 2016 gave the estimated population in York as 40,000, which is a welcome increase of 60% over the 2015 survey. In York the adult beetles and their larvae live exclusively on the Tansy plant. They rarely fly so may spend their entire life cycle in an area of only a few square metres. This means they are very susceptible to habitat loss due to land improvement, flood plain management and invasive species such as Himalayan Balsam. However, once you find the beetles, they are very easy to observe or photograph, this one was one of around twenty beetles basking among the foliage of two or three Tansy plants at Rawcliffe Meadows in York.
Taken with a Sony A6000 and a Sony 210mm zoom lens at f6.3, 1/320 second, ISO 800.
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Wow! I believe that I have quite a lot of Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) growing in my aged Mother-in-Law’s garden (Oxfordshire:-) It is pretty invasive (and possibly immortal – see etymology:-)
The Americans seem to think the plant is poisonous, but the British think it an edible herb with a flavour similar to Rosemary. I wonder if the Americans are confusing it with Senecio jacobaea – which they call Tansy Ragwort?
I had hoped mine would be an insect attractant, but I can’t say that I noticed much success, and tried to reduce its numbers (hence, the ‘immortality’ bit).
I would love to have its beetle, however:-)
Is that a Tansy leaf stalk? It is not toothed.
The tansy plant is toxic although cattle will nibble the plant tops https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tansy and it is quite a good deterrent to some pests.
If you wish to see the Tansy Beetle however I think you are best visiting the York area is spring or later summer https://rawcliffemeadows.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/tansy-beetle-time/
The Tansy Beetle Action Group have been trying gain interest in chemotyping the York plant and DNA-profiling a comparative group of the Tansy Beetles to determine why York. More beetles have since been found in Woodwalton and the relocation ceased as a result but as there is no tansy to eat the question is whether there are genetic differences between the Cambridge and York beetles,along with their European relatives?
https://rawcliffemeadows.wordpress.com/about-the-site/where-is-rawcliffe-meadows/
Mick – fascinating. thank you.
Keith, I have planted some Tansy in a bit of waste ground near my house and it attracts quite a few solitary bees and wasps, also lots of tiny beetles. You are right that the beetle is not perched on the Tansy leaf stalk, it is a stalk of grass which is growing through the Tansy plant.