Bean leaf beetles,Cerotoma trifurcata(Forster) (Coleoptera:Chrysomelidae), emerging in April from an overwintering site in central Illinois were observed feeding or aggregating on four nonleguminous plants. Laboratory feeding tests indicated that three of these species,Urtica dioica. Laportea canadensis(Urticaceae), andEuonymous atropurpurea(Celastraceae), were accepted as food plants by overwintered adult beetles, butEupatoriumsp. (Compositae) was consistently rejected. These acceptable plants may serve as interim hosts for the beetles until soybean, the major host plant, is available. The implications of this finding on the dynamics of the bean leaf beetle-soybean association are discussed