Mantura rustica (Linnaeus, 1767)

Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Mantura > Mantura rustica

Description

Size: 2-2.8mm
Basic colour: Dark reddish-brown
Pattern colour: Rear third of elytra (except suture) usually yellowish (sometimes this feature is absent)
Number of spots: See pattern
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: With the head, metallic green or bluish.
Leg colour: Orange to brown, hind femora darkened

Palaearctic

Biology

Status: Widespread but Scarce (Notable B) in England, Wales and southern Scotland.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Docks especially broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) and sorrels, also knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare) and rhubarb (Rheum x hybridum)
Overwintering: As adults among grass roots, in haystacks and in rotten ash twigs
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae are leaf-mioners (broad galleries)

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)