Cryptocephalus nitidulus

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Cryptocephalus
  • Cryptocephalus nitidulus

Description

Size: 3.5-5.2mm
Basic colour: Bright metallic green or blue
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: Pronotum sometimes with yellow spots at the front and hind angles.
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Yellow or orange-yellow (middle and hind femora darker).

Previously known from a small number of scattered locations, now primarily a few sites in Surrey. This species has UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) page here.

Biology

Status: Endangered (RDB1), UKBAP species.
Habitat: Scrubby grassland or rides in natural broad-leaved woodland. Needs host plants in south-facing locations at the transition between woodland and grassland/heathland plus surrounding windbreaks of taller vegetation. Sometimes in sheltered valleys.
Host plant: Usually birch saplings, sometimes hazel, hawthorn or privet.
Overwintering: Two-year life-cycle.
Food: Leaves of host plants; adults may also feed on pollen.
Other notes: Pronotum with very fine punctures. Head with a narrow yellow mark below the antennal insertions.

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Cryptocephalus pusillus

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Cryptocephalus
  • Cryptocephalus pusillus

Description

Size: 2.2-3.0mm
Basic colour: Yellowish
Pattern colour: See notes below.
Number of spots: See notes below.
Other colour forms: Common
Pronotoum: Yellowish (sometimes partly orange or brownish in dark specimens)
Leg colour: Yellow or orange-yellow
Confusion species: Cryptocephalus fulvus

Biology

Status: Common and widespread, especially in England and Wales.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various, mainly broadleaved trees.
Overwintering: 1st to 4th (final) instar larvae overwinter, possibly in leaf litter.
Food: Leaves of host plants.
Other notes: Very similar to C. fulvus, but antennal segments 4-10 more elongate, final segment longer than 0.2mm and at least as long as the first segment. Punctures of elytral striae become finer towards the rear. Males often with variably darkened elytra - may be largely dark brown or black. Females usually with darkened shoulders, sometimes also with brown spots to the rear of the elytra, sometimes also towards the front. Pronotum may be partly darkened. Femora without the small (and difficult-to-see) apical flange on the front upper edge.

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Cryptocephalus fulvus

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Cryptocephalus
  • Cryptocephalus fulvus

Description

Size: 2-3mm
Basic colour: Yellowish
Pattern colour: No pattern as such, though see notes below. Narrowly dark suture.
Number of spots: May have darkened elytral shoulders.
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: Yellowish (sometimes brownish in dark specimens)
Leg colour: Yellow or orange-yellow
Confusion species: Cryptocephalus pusillus

Biology

Status: Widespread in England and Wales.
Habitat: Various, mainly open habitats.
Host plant: Various, with the true host probably Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Overwintering: Unknown
Food: Adults feed on leaves of host plants; larvae also feed on buds.
Other notes: Very similar to C. pusillus, but antennal segments 4-10 less elongate with the final segment shorter than 0.17mm and shorter than the first segment. Punctures of elytral striae remain the same size towards the rear but are slightly finer around the sides than on top. May have darkened elytral shoulders. Femora with a small flange on the front upper edge at the apex, but this is hard to see. Sometimes, darker (brownish) specimens are found.

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Cryptocephalus moraei

Size
3-5mm
Basic colour
Black and yellow
Pattern colour
Elytra black with variable yellow spot at the apex and a yellow area along the front half of the outer side.
Leg colour
Orange-yellow, femora darkened; legs sometimes darkened more extensively.

Cryptocephalus moraei

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Cryptocephalus
  • Cryptocephalus moraei

Description

Size: 3-5mm
Basic colour: Black and yellow
Pattern colour: Elytra black with variable yellow spot at the apex and a yellow area along the front half of the outer side.
Number of spots: See 'pattern colour' and 'pronotum'
Pronotoum: Black, usually with a fine yellow front margin, and a yellow spot at the hind angles.
Leg colour: Orange-yellow, femora darkened; legs sometimes darkened more extensively.

Biology

Status: Widely distributed, especially in southern England.
Habitat: Short herbaceous stands on calcareous soils.
Host plant: Mainly Slender St.John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum), but also other species.
Overwintering: Unknown
Food: Adults feed on leaves & flowers of host plants.

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Cryptocephalus frontalis

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Cryptocephalus
  • Cryptocephalus frontalis

Description

Size: 2.3-3.0mm
Basic colour: Black
Pattern colour: Head, pronotum and elytra black with small orange-yellowish areas.
Number of spots: Variable small orange-yellowish areas.
Pronotoum: Black; may have orange-yellowish patches; front 1/3 to 1/2 of side margin finely orange-yellow. Sometimes a very small yellowish area at the side of the hind angles.
Leg colour: Yellow (femora darkened to the rear)

Biology

Status: Scarce (Notable A); appears to have declined over part of its range i England.
Habitat: Mature hedgerows, also ancient woodland.
Host plant: Mainly hawthorn, also grey willow (Salix cinerea)
Overwintering: Unknown
Food: Leaves of host plants.
Other notes: Possible association particularly with hedges that are cut each winter and have vertical sides with a thick base.

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