Aphthona ?atratula
Size
1.5-1.7mm
Basic colour
Black with a weak metallic reflection.
Pattern colour
None
Leg colour
As basic colour
Aphthona ?atratula
Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Aphthona
- Aphthona ?atratula
Description
Size: 1.5-1.7mm
Basic colour: Black with a weak metallic reflection.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Aphthona euphorbiae
Basic colour: Black with a weak metallic reflection.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Aphthona euphorbiae
Previously referred to as A. atrovirens (Pope 1977), but this species does not occur in Britain (Cox 2000); therefore, British specimens of A. atrovirens are likely to be A. atratula. Some continental European workers have synonimised A. atratula with A. euphorbiae but in Britain these are considered separate species.
Cox, M.L. (2000). Progress report on the Bruchidae/Chrysomelidae recording scheme. The Coleopterist 9(2): 65-74.
Pope, R.D. (1977). A check list of British insects. 2nd ed. Part 3: Coleoptera and Strepsiptera. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 11(3).
Biology
Status: Widely scattered.
Habitat: Woodland rides, downland, chalky places and quarries.
Host plant: Rock-roses, cypress spurge, wood sage, wild marjoram, fairy flax.
Overwintering: Adults overwinter though location unknown.
Food: Adults feed on leaves of host plants; larvae probably feed on the roots.
Other notes: Usually smaller than A. euphorbiae and the adults of A. atratula lack humeral calli on the elytra (these are usually present in A. euphorbiae).
Habitat: Woodland rides, downland, chalky places and quarries.
Host plant: Rock-roses, cypress spurge, wood sage, wild marjoram, fairy flax.
Overwintering: Adults overwinter though location unknown.
Food: Adults feed on leaves of host plants; larvae probably feed on the roots.
Other notes: Usually smaller than A. euphorbiae and the adults of A. atratula lack humeral calli on the elytra (these are usually present in A. euphorbiae).
Distribution (may take a minute to appear)
Distribution Map
Altica palustris
Size
2.8-4.1mm
Basic colour
Dull, variable metallic bluish or greenish.
Pattern colour
None
Leg colour
As basic colour
Altica palustris
Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Altica
- Altica palustris
Description
Size: 2.8-4.1mm
Basic colour: Dull, variable metallic bluish or greenish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica carinthiaca
, Confusion species: Altica oleracea
Basic colour: Dull, variable metallic bluish or greenish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica carinthiaca
, Confusion species: Altica oleracea
Biology
Status: Common and widespread.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various
Overwintering: Adults hibernate around grass roots, in tussocks, cut grass and reed refuse.
Food: Adults and larvae feed on leaves, especially of willowherbs.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various
Overwintering: Adults hibernate around grass roots, in tussocks, cut grass and reed refuse.
Food: Adults and larvae feed on leaves, especially of willowherbs.
Distribution (may take a minute to appear)
Distribution Map
Altica oleracea
Size
3.0-4.2mm
Basic colour
Dull metallic greenish; sometimes bright blue.
Pattern colour
None
Leg colour
As basic colour
Altica oleracea
Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Altica
- Altica oleracea
Description
Size: 3.0-4.2mm
Basic colour: Dull metallic greenish; sometimes bright blue.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica carinthiaca
, Confusion species: Altica palustris
Basic colour: Dull metallic greenish; sometimes bright blue.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica carinthiaca
, Confusion species: Altica palustris
Biology
Status: Widespread.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in moss.
Food: Adults and larvae feed on leaves.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in moss.
Food: Adults and larvae feed on leaves.
Distribution (may take a minute to appear)
Distribution Map
Altica lythri
Size
4.5-5.5mm
Basic colour
Metallic purple-blue or blue, usually not very shiny. Sometimes greenish, rarely black.
Pattern colour
None
Leg colour
As basic colour
Altica lythri
Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Altica
- Altica lythri
Description
Size: 4.5-5.5mm
Basic colour: Metallic purple-blue or blue, usually not very shiny. Sometimes greenish, rarely black.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica brevicollis
Basic colour: Metallic purple-blue or blue, usually not very shiny. Sometimes greenish, rarely black.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Altica brevicollis
Biology
Status: Fairly common in England and Wales, rare in Scotland and Ireland.
Habitat: Various, mainly damp near waterbodies.
Host plant: Mainly Onagraceae (willowherb family); also a range of others.
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in tussocks, reed litter, moss, dead wood and bulrush leaf-sheaths.
Food: Onagraceae: adults feed on leaves and petals, larvae feed on apical leaves.
Other notes: May be found with A. palustris.
Habitat: Various, mainly damp near waterbodies.
Host plant: Mainly Onagraceae (willowherb family); also a range of others.
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in tussocks, reed litter, moss, dead wood and bulrush leaf-sheaths.
Food: Onagraceae: adults feed on leaves and petals, larvae feed on apical leaves.
Other notes: May be found with A. palustris.
Distribution (may take a minute to appear)
Distribution Map
Altica helianthemi
Size
2.8-3.8mm
Basic colour
Very dark blue or blackish.
Pattern colour
None
Leg colour
As basic colour
Altica helianthemi
Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Altica
- Altica helianthemi
Description
Size: 2.8-3.8mm
Basic colour: Very dark blue or blackish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Basic colour: Very dark blue or blackish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Biology
Status: Widely distributed.
Habitat: Woodland, parkland, calcareous grassland, commons, grass verges.
Host plant: Rock-rose family (Cistaceae), including Helianthemum sp. and Tuberaria guttata; also several Rosaceae.
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in moss and under bark.
Food: Known to feed on salad burnet; possibly other plants as well.
Habitat: Woodland, parkland, calcareous grassland, commons, grass verges.
Host plant: Rock-rose family (Cistaceae), including Helianthemum sp. and Tuberaria guttata; also several Rosaceae.
Overwintering: Adults hibernate in moss and under bark.
Food: Known to feed on salad burnet; possibly other plants as well.