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The cute invader eating your hog plums: What you need to know about the sineguelas leaf beetle

The cute invader eating your hog plums: What you need to know about the sineguelas leaf beetle

The cute invader eating your hog plums: What you need to know about the sineguelas leaf beetle


8/14/2025

By for the The Guam Daily Post

Guam’s hog plum trees are facing an unexpected new threat - the sineguelas leaf beetle, also known as the hog plum beetle (Podontia quatuordecimpunctata). This striking, brightly colored insect may look cute, but it is a serious invasive pest. Guam state entomologist Chris Rosario issued a pest alert in July 2024 after it was spotted on island by Dr. Ken Puliafico, supervisory entomologist with the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands of Colorado State University.

The beetle is distributed in peninsular Malaysia, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Japan and Bangladesh. It has also recently been reported in the Philippines and likely made its way to Guam from a nearby country. Since arriving, its population has been rapidly expanding - typical behavior for invasive species that escape their natural predators and pathogens in a new environment.

Read the full article at The Guam Daily Post

Photo of Alfred Daniel Johnson, Ph.D
Alfred Daniel Johnson, Ph.D
Alfred Daniel Johnson, Ph.D., is an entomologist with the UOG Extension Service under the University of Guam Land Grant. He can be reached at johnsona17274@triton.uog.edu.