Chrysolina fastuosa

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Chrysolina
  • Chrysolina fastuosa

Description

Size: 4.8-7.0mm
Basic colour: Elytra metallic green (sometimes metallic bronze) with blue suture and usuallu with a reddish or golden longitudinal stripe.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour

Biology

Status: Widely distributed.
Habitat: Various, especially where damp; also woodland rides.
Host plant: Various Lamiaceae; also on nettles
Overwintering: Usually as a prepupa, although adults and larvae may also be able to overwinter.
Food: Adults and larvae feed on leaves of host plants.
Other notes: Larvae feed at night and hide in seed capsules during the day.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map

Chrysolina hyperici

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Chrysolina
  • Chrysolina hyperici

Description

Size: 5.0-7.3mm
Basic colour: Dark metallic green or bronze, sometimes reddish, blue-black or almost black.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Chrysolina brunsvicensis

Biology

Status: Widespread, especially in England and Wales
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Usually St.John's-worts (Hypericum)
Overwintering: Adults do overwinter, although most die by February.
Food: Adults feed on Hypericum leaves & flowers; larvae feed on leaves and stems.
Other notes: Pronotum and elytral interstices dull and very finely punctured. Elytral striae formed of sparse punctures.

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Distribution Map

Chrysolina brunsvicensis

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Chrysolina
  • Chrysolina brunsvicensis

Description

Size: 5.3-6.3mm
Basic colour: Coppery-red with a brassy reflection.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Metallic green
Confusion species: Chrysolina hyperici

Biology

Status: Widespread in England and Wales.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Usually St.John's-worts (Hypericum); occasionally others such as ragworts, though probably accidentally.
Overwintering: Unknown location, but adults do overwinter.
Food: Leaves of St.John's-worts (Hypericum)
Other notes: Head metallic green. An alternative colour form is entirely golden-green and may appear quite dark. Pronotum and elytral interstices coarsely punctured and shiny. Elytral punctures form fairly faint, sometimes partly irregular, striae among the smaller interstitial punctures.

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Distribution Map

Chrysolina staphylaea

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Chrysolina
  • Chrysolina staphylaea

Description

Size: 5.2-8.7mm
Basic colour: Red-brown, usually (but not always) with a weak metallic reflection.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour (may appear a little darker than elytra)
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Chrysolina banksi

Biology

Status: Common and widespread.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various, but especially noted on creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
Overwintering: Adults hibernate from autumn to April in a variety of locations.
Food: Various, but especially noted on leaves of creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
Other notes: Similar to C. banksi, but usually smaller. Elytral punctures dense and random, sometimes forming a partial row along the suture, especially in the rear half.

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Chrysolina banksi

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Chrysolina
  • Chrysolina banksi

Description

Size: 8.0-10.7mm
Basic colour: Metallic bronze
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Orange-brown to dark brown

Biology

Status: Widespread, especially in the south-west; usually coastal, can be locally common.
Habitat: Various open habitats, but also valley woodland.
Host plant: Various, especially ribwort plantain and a range of Lamiaceae, including mints.
Overwintering: Usually as larvae; also as adults in warmer locations.
Food: Leaves
Other notes: Similar to C. staphylaea, but larger. No metallic reflection. Elytral punctures sparse and random. Now more correctly known as C. banksii.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map