Psylliodes attenuata (Koch, J.D.W., 1803)
Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Psylliodes > Psylliodes attenuata
Common name:
Hop Flea Beetle
Description
Size: 2-2.8mm
Basic colour: Metallic green or bronze
Pattern colour: Tips of elytra usually reddish-brown, but may be entirely as the basic colour
Number of spots: See pattern
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Red-brown, hind femora darkened
Basic colour: Metallic green or bronze
Pattern colour: Tips of elytra usually reddish-brown, but may be entirely as the basic colour
Number of spots: See pattern
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Red-brown, hind femora darkened
Palaearctic
Biology
Status: Widely scattered - England and Wales only, mainly SE England. Endangered (RDB1)
RDB Category: Endangered (RDB1)
Habitat: Cultivated land (mainly hop fields and field margins), also woodland
Host plant: Various Cannabaceae, mainly hops, also hemp. Sometimes on nettles.
Overwintering: As adults in old hop 'bines' (climbing shoots/stems), cracks in hop poles, sandy soil, and grass tussocks.
Food: Adults n hop leaves, flowers and cones (they may skeletonise leaves) and on nettles; early instar larvae are miners, forming fine galleries in roots and root-necks; later instar larvae are soil-dwelling and feed on roots.
Other notes: Adults parasitised by braconid wasps Periltius cerealium, P. labilis & P. bicolor.
RDB Category: Endangered (RDB1)
Habitat: Cultivated land (mainly hop fields and field margins), also woodland
Host plant: Various Cannabaceae, mainly hops, also hemp. Sometimes on nettles.
Overwintering: As adults in old hop 'bines' (climbing shoots/stems), cracks in hop poles, sandy soil, and grass tussocks.
Food: Adults n hop leaves, flowers and cones (they may skeletonise leaves) and on nettles; early instar larvae are miners, forming fine galleries in roots and root-necks; later instar larvae are soil-dwelling and feed on roots.
Other notes: Adults parasitised by braconid wasps Periltius cerealium, P. labilis & P. bicolor.