Chrysomela populi is a species of broad-shouldered leaf beetle belonging to the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Chrysomelinae.

Specifically, they can be found living on species of Salix, like S. triandra, S. fragilis and S. viminali, and Populus, such as P. tremula, P. alba, and P. nigra.

C. populi selects hosts based on nutrient content and proportion, and it generally has high requirements for food quality.

C. populi leaves behind irregular remains along the plant veins and leaf edges of the vegetation it has consumed.

[2] C. populi has garnered the reputation of being a pest to numerous, key species for forestry and it can be found all over Europe.

Large and prolonged feeding by C. populi can result in delayed appearance of foliage or in the death of the tree.

These beetles can be found in most of Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland),[8] in the Palearctic realm and in the Oriental realm (Caucasus, Pakistan, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Far East of Russia, China and Japan).

[2][5][6][10] Adults may emit a red, highly-smelling, repellent liquid, obtained from the salicylic acid contained in their food plants.

In a study done on the correlation between food source and C. Populi development and mortality, it was found that beetles living on genetically crossed clones of P. tremula x P. tremuloides (tt) plants, had the lowest mortality rate on average when compared to populations living on clones of P. alba and P. alba x P. tremula (ta).

Heavier beetles gain a selective advantage because body weight increases fecundity in female C. Populi.

Unsurprisingly, beetles reared on P. alba were not alive long enough to reach peak egg production.

A study done in 2015 analyzed the effects of sibling egg cannibalism on the development and survival of a population of the beetle.

Larvae of the last generation overwinter in the litter under the leaves C. Populi mate during the spring after a feeding period when adults will consume large round holes in the foliage of developing hosts.

The larvae feed on the underside of leaves, stripping them completely, and develop into adults within a month after passing through 3 instars.

Each ovary has 14 ovarioles, which can be distinguished by their light yellow color, that expand from the distal to proximal end.

The parts of the ovariole, ordered from distal to proximal, include the terminal filament, germarium, vitellarium, and pedicel.

[14] Existing studies have observed the astigmatid mite Linobia coccinellae to be found regularly on populations of C. populi.

L. coccinellae can live underneath the elytra and hind wing or under the abdomen where it consumes the host’s hemolymph.

The proportion of C. populi paratisized by L. coccinellae increases throughout the year and females usually experience a higher density of infestation.

Neogragines are extremely pathogenic because they destroy the host’s fat body and exhaust energy stores.

However, not much is known about how this pathogen affects C. populi in natural environments, so researchers in Turkey conducted an experiment to study their effect.

Evidence also showed that this pathogen has a high dispersal potential as infection was widespread in C. populi populations throughout Turkey.