Altica carinthiaca Weise, 1888
Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Altica > Altica carinthiaca
Description
Size: 3-4mm
Basic colour: Deep metallic blue.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Spot fusions: None
Other colour forms: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica oleracea
, Confusion species: Altica palustris
Basic colour: Deep metallic blue.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Spot fusions: None
Other colour forms: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica oleracea
, Confusion species: Altica palustris
Recognised as British in 2000, though specimens attributable to it have now been found in collections going back at least as far as 1939. It has previously been confused with A. palustris and A. pusilla var. montana.
Biology
Status: Not threatened
Habitat: Fens, marshes, parkland, meadows, heathland.
Host plant: Lathyrus pratensis
Overwintering: Unknown location, but adults do overwinter.
Food: Makes elongate slits in leaves of host plant.
Other notes: Southern half of England.
Habitat: Fens, marshes, parkland, meadows, heathland.
Host plant: Lathyrus pratensis
Overwintering: Unknown location, but adults do overwinter.
Food: Makes elongate slits in leaves of host plant.
Other notes: Southern half of England.