The Northern Tamarisk Beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) is a small leaf beetle native to Asia, ranging from southern Russia and Iran to Mongolia and western China. Deliberately introduced to North America in 2001, it serves as a biological control agent against invasive tamarisk (Tamarix spp.), also known as saltcedar.

Adults and larvae skeletonize tamarisk leaves, causing defoliation that weakens and often kills the trees. This helps restore native riparian habitats along rivers and wetlands in the southwestern U.S. The beetle is now established in southern California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.

Identification features a compact, rounded body typical of chrysomelid leaf beetles, with pale greenish to yellowish elytra often marked with faint stripes. Adults are active in warm seasons, feeding and mating on tamarisk foliage. Females lay eggs on leaves; larvae hatch and feed gregariously before pupating in the soil. Multiple generations occur per year in suitable climates.

Though highly effective against tamarisk, the beetle has impacted local ecosystems, including food availability for insectivorous birds. Studies show some bird species adapt by shifting diet, while others decline in heavily treated areas.

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