Sphaeroderma testaceum (Fabricius, 1775)
Taxonomy: Polyphaga > Chrysomeloidea > Chrysomelidae > Sphaeroderma > Sphaeroderma testaceum
Description
Size: 2.5-4.5mm
Basic colour: Yellowish, reddish or brownish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Sphaeroderma rubidum
Basic colour: Yellowish, reddish or brownish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Sphaeroderma rubidum
Western Palaearctic, including Tunisia, Malta & Cyprus.
Biology
Status: Widespread and common.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various Asteraceae, especially thistles.
Overwintering: As 3rd (final) instar larvae, sometimes as adults in grass tussocks.
Food: Adults on leaves and possibly pollen, larvae within leaves.
Other notes: Oval from above. Pronotal front angles slightly (often subtly) more prominent than in S. rubidum. Pronotal punctures coarser at the rear than at the front.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various Asteraceae, especially thistles.
Overwintering: As 3rd (final) instar larvae, sometimes as adults in grass tussocks.
Food: Adults on leaves and possibly pollen, larvae within leaves.
Other notes: Oval from above. Pronotal front angles slightly (often subtly) more prominent than in S. rubidum. Pronotal punctures coarser at the rear than at the front.