Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze, 1777)
Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Phyllotreta > Phyllotreta cruciferae
Description
Size: 1.8-2.5mm
Basic colour: Metallic dark green or bluish-green.
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 atra
Basic colour: Metallic dark green or bluish-green.
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 atra
Palaearctic, also North Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia. Introduced into North America.
Biology
Status: Widespread but patchy in southern England and the Midlands; a few old records from Wales & Scotland, none from Ireland. Scarce (Notable B)
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Many wild and cultivated Brassiciaceae, also nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.) and wild mignonette (Reseda lutea)
Overwintering: As adults in leaf-mould, dead wood and among grass roots
Food: Adults on leaves (may damage seedlings of crop plants), larvae at roots, down to 25cm.
Other notes: Adults parasitised by braconid wasps Perilitus areolatus, P. vittatae and P. bicolor, and the nematode Howardula phyllotretae. Superficially similar to P. atra, but this is black.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Many wild and cultivated Brassiciaceae, also nasturtiums (Tropaeolum spp.) and wild mignonette (Reseda lutea)
Overwintering: As adults in leaf-mould, dead wood and among grass roots
Food: Adults on leaves (may damage seedlings of crop plants), larvae at roots, down to 25cm.
Other notes: Adults parasitised by braconid wasps Perilitus areolatus, P. vittatae and P. bicolor, and the nematode Howardula phyllotretae. Superficially similar to P. atra, but this is black.