Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Hermaeophaga
- Hermaeophaga mercurialis
Common name
Dogs-Mercury Flea Beetle
Description
Size: 2.3-3mm
Basic colour: Blue-black
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Basic colour: Blue-black
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Western Palaearctic.
Short-oval, highly convex dorsally.
Biology
Status: Widespread and fairly common in southern England/Wales; isolated recent record from Cumbria.
Habitat: Sunny glades in various woodland types, hedgerows, calcareous grassland, heathland, commons, meadows, quarries.
Host plant: Dog's mercury (Mercurialis perennis)
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in tussocks and moss, and among fallen leaves.
Food: Adults on host leaves, larvae on leaves and roots.
Other notes: Adults have vestigial wings therefore it is unlikely they are active fliers, despite having been captured in flight-interception traps (it is unknown whether they crawled/fell, were wind-blown or able to fly weakly)
Habitat: Sunny glades in various woodland types, hedgerows, calcareous grassland, heathland, commons, meadows, quarries.
Host plant: Dog's mercury (Mercurialis perennis)
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in tussocks and moss, and among fallen leaves.
Food: Adults on host leaves, larvae on leaves and roots.
Other notes: Adults have vestigial wings therefore it is unlikely they are active fliers, despite having been captured in flight-interception traps (it is unknown whether they crawled/fell, were wind-blown or able to fly weakly)