Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say, 1831)

Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Acanthoscelides > Acanthoscelides obtectus

Common name: 

Dried Bean Beetle

Images

Acanthoscelides obtectus
Source:
Lech Borowiec

Description

Size: 2.5-3mm
Basic colour: Brown
Pattern colour: Darker spots scattered, sometimes paler longitudinal streaks.
Number of spots: Numerous small dark spots formed by scale-like elytral pubescence.
Pronotoum: Brownish, unpatterned.
Leg colour: Brown

Introduced from tropical Americas, now found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Japan. Recorded since the 1920s in Britain, mainly in south-east England.

Biology

Status: Introduced species; sparsely scattered.
Habitat: In or near stored pulses or other food or seeds.
Host plant: Various
Overwintering: Unknown, but probably capable of surviving all year in heated locations.
Food: Stored pulses or other food or seeds.
Other notes: A major pest of stored food.

Articles

Cox, M.L. (2013). Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) in South Essex (VC 18). The Coleopterist 22(3): 85.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)