Donacia versicolorea (Brahm, 1791)

Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Donacia > Donacia versicolorea

Images

Donacia versicolorea
Source:
Roger Key
Donacia versicolorea
Source:
Malcolm Greenwood

Description

Size: 6.2-8.9mm
Basic colour: Variably dark to blackish, often with tiny pin-prick reflections of light, often giving the appearance of (e.g.) gold speckles.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Donacia crassipes

Palaearctic as far east as Kamchatka.

Biology

Status: Widespread but not common
Habitat: Various still and flowing water-bodies where there are pondweeds
Host plant: Pondweeds, Potamogeton spp.
Overwintering: Two-year life cycle.
Food: Adults on leaves.
Other notes: Elytra relatively flattened (like D. crassipes) but smaller and with a later season (July/August).

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)