Phyllotreta atra (Fabricius, 1775)

Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Phyllotreta > Phyllotreta atra

Description

Size: 1.8-2.4mm
Basic colour: Shiny black
Pattern colour: None (antennal segments 2 & 3 reddish to brownish)
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Phyllotreta diademata
, Confusion species: Phyllotreta punctulata

Palaearctic, also Morocco, Tunisia & Eritrea.

Biology

Status: Widespread in England, scattered in Wales, old records from Ireland, not recorded from Sotland.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Many wild and cultivated Brassicaceae
Overwintering: As adults in grass refuse and at grass roots.
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae at roots.
Other notes: Adults parasitised by braconid wasps Perilitus areolatus & P. bicolor, microsporidian Nosema phyllotretae, and nematodes Howardula phyllotretae & Mermis sp. Adults predated by swifts (Apus apus). Separated from P. diademata & P. punctulata by head punctures and aedeagus.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)