Longitarsus ferrugineus (Foudras, 1860)
Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Longitarsus > Longitarsus ferrugineus
Common name:
Mint Flea Beetle
Description
Size: 1.7-2.4mm
Basic colour: Orange-yellow
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: Orange (as is the head), while the eltra are yellowish
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Longitarsus membranaceus
Basic colour: Orange-yellow
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: Orange (as is the head), while the eltra are yellowish
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Longitarsus membranaceus
Western Palaearctic; introduced in North America.
Biology
Status: Recent records from Suffolk and Essex; older records scattered from the Wash to Land's End and SW Ireland. Endangered (RDB 1)
RDB Category: Endangered (RDB1)
Habitat: Damp conditions in various habitats.
Host plant: Mints (Mentha spp.), sometimes gypsyworts (Lycopus spp.) and germanders (Teucrium spp.)
Overwintering: As eggs or larvae, probably not as adults.
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae on roots.
Other notes: Wing development variable (vestigial or fully-winged) and it is possible that only females are fully winged. Carabid beetle Pterostichus lucublandus predates adults and larvae, therevid fly Psilocephala haemorrhoidalis pedates pupae.
RDB Category: Endangered (RDB1)
Habitat: Damp conditions in various habitats.
Host plant: Mints (Mentha spp.), sometimes gypsyworts (Lycopus spp.) and germanders (Teucrium spp.)
Overwintering: As eggs or larvae, probably not as adults.
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae on roots.
Other notes: Wing development variable (vestigial or fully-winged) and it is possible that only females are fully winged. Carabid beetle Pterostichus lucublandus predates adults and larvae, therevid fly Psilocephala haemorrhoidalis pedates pupae.