Tansy Beetle

An endangered beetle in the United Kingdom

My illustration for Animal Alphabets, letter #T - Tansy Beetle.
The Tansy Beetle (Chrysolina Graminis) is a bright green beetle which primarily uses tansy as its host plant. This plant is repellent to most insects, but tansy beetles are resistant to the volatile chemicals of Tansy on which they feed as both larvae and adults. Tansy grows in fen lands and banks of rivers, such areas consequently are tansy beetle habitat as weel. The species is declining in the most countries where it is found and it is considered "Nationally Rare" in the United Kingdom. The decline of the beetle is mainly due to habitat loss caused by drainage and arable conversion. In the UK they are found only in a small area of the banks of the River Ouse.
In my illustration two beetles are enjoying their Tansy house and kid beetle is on the swing. [2018]