Longitarsus nigerrimus (Gyllenhal, 1827)

Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Longitarsus > Longitarsus nigerrimus

Common name: 

Very black flea beetle or Bladderwort flea beetle

Description

Size: 1.5-2.3mm
Basic colour: Black
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour

Palaearctic, mainly northern & central Europe, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia (inlcuding Caucasus and Siberia)

Biology

Status: Rare: restricted to the New Forest and East Dorset.
RDB Category: Endangered (RDB1)
Habitat: Shallow boggy pools and pits, and peat bogs (where bladderwort occurs)
Host plant: Lesser bladderwort (Utricularia minor) and possibly other Utricularia spp. Adults may be found on grasses in boggy areas.
Overwintering: As adults
Food: Adults on fine leaves and stems above the water surface, larvae on stems and leaves (partially or wholly submerged, sometimes with part of the abdomen exposed to the air).
Other notes: Unlike other British Longitarsus, antennae and legs almost entirely dark brown to black, plus pronotum & elytra entirely black without yellow markings.

Articles

Booth, R.G. (2000). A review of Longitarsus nigerrimus (Gyllenhal) (Chrysomelidae) records from the British Isles. The Coleopterist 9(1): 15.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)