Aphthona euphorbiae (Schrank, 1781)
Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Aphthona > Aphthona euphorbiae
Common name:
Large Flax Flea Beetle, or Flax and Linseed Flea Beetle
Images
Source:
Roger Key
Source:
Dave Hubble
Source:
Dave Hubble
Source:
Dave Hubble
Description
Size: 1.8-2.0mm
Basic colour: Shiny black or dark metallic greenish to bronze.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Aphthona ?atratula
Basic colour: Shiny black or dark metallic greenish to bronze.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Aphthona ?atratula
Biology
Status: Widespread.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various, though flax is favoured.
Overwintering: Adults hibernate under bushes and among leaves.
Food: Adults feed on leaves and possibly pollen, also new stems, seedlings and cotyledons; larvae feed on roots.
Other notes: Head dull, pronotum finely punctured and usually with weak longitudinal wrinkles.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various, though flax is favoured.
Overwintering: Adults hibernate under bushes and among leaves.
Food: Adults feed on leaves and possibly pollen, also new stems, seedlings and cotyledons; larvae feed on roots.
Other notes: Head dull, pronotum finely punctured and usually with weak longitudinal wrinkles.
Articles
Cox, M. & Campbell, J. (1998). Increased abundance and spread of Aphthona euphorbiae (Schrank) and Longitarsus parvulus (Paykull) (Chrysomelidae) in Oxfordshire. The Coleopterist 7(1): 11.
Parsons, A.J. (1998). Aphthona euphorbiae (Schrank) (Chrysomelidae) feeding on pteridophyte spores. The Coleopterist 7(3): 93.
Read, R.W.J. (1997). Aphthona euphorbiae (Schrank) (Chrysomelidae) in Cumbria. The Coleopterist 5(3): 89.