1. Home

Psylliodes picina

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Psylliodes
  • Psylliodes picina

Description

Size: 2-2.9mm
Basic colour: Dark reddish-brownish, or pronotum red and elytra very dark brown.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Reddish-brownish
Confusion species: Psylliodes luteola

Western Palaearctic; introduced into North America.

Biology

Status: Widely scattered
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Common reed (Phragmites australis), various trees, and cultivated cereals; possibly other plants.
Overwintering: As adults in moss, grass tussocks and rotten bark.
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae probably at roots.
Other notes: With teneral specimens, take care to avoid confusion with P. luteola.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map

Psylliodes napi

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Psylliodes
  • Psylliodes napi

Description

Size: 2.5-3.3mm
Basic colour: dark blue, sometimes greenish, rarely bronze to brassy.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Yellow-orange, hind femora darkened
Confusion species: Psylliodes laticollis

Palaearctic; introduced into North America but probably not established.

Biology

Status: Common and widespread
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various Brassicaceae
Overwintering: As adults in moss and grass tussocks
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae are leaf- and stem-miners
Other notes: Adults parasitised by the beaconid wasp Perilitus brevicollis. See the similar P. laticollis for comparison.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map

Psylliodes luridipennis

RDB Category
Vulnerable (RDB2)
Size
3.1-3.7mm
Basic colour
Variable (see pattern)
Pattern colour
Head and pronotum usually metallic bronze, sometimes greenish/bluish; elytra vary from brownish-yellow to the typical colour range.
Leg colour
Yellowish, hind femora darkened

Psylliodes hyoscyami

RDB Category
Endangered (RDB1)
Size
2.9-3.5mm
Basic colour
Blackish with blue-green or dark bronze reflection; may appear metallic green or bronze, sometimes coppery or blue-green
Pattern colour
None
Leg colour
Yellowish to reddish, hind femora dark, front femora mostly yellowish (separating it from P. chalcomera)

Psylliodes laticollis

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Psylliodes
  • Psylliodes laticollis

Description

Size: 2.8-3.6mm
Basic colour: Dark blue, sometimes with a purple tinge
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour. Usually with rounded front angles slightly protruding at the front edge (compare with P. napi)
Leg colour: Yellow-orange, hind femora darkened.
Confusion species: Psylliodes napi

SW Palaearctic, including Macaronesia and North Africa.

Biology

Status: Widely scattered
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Usually on water-cress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum
Overwintering: As adults in moss and grass tussocks
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae within stems or as miners in leaf-stalks (petioles)
Other notes: Adults parasitised by a braconid wasp, probably Perilitus sp. Dissection of aedeagus may be needed to separate from P. napi.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map

Psylliodes hyoscyami

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Psylliodes
  • Psylliodes hyoscyami
Common name
Henbane Flea Beetle

Description

Size: 2.9-3.5mm
Basic colour: Blackish with blue-green or dark bronze reflection; may appear metallic green or bronze, sometimes coppery or blue-green
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Yellowish to reddish, hind femora dark, front femora mostly yellowish (separating it from P. chalcomera)
Confusion species: Psylliodes chalcomera

Palaearctic, including the Middle East and North Africa.

Biology

Status: Last recorded in Oxfordshire in 1930, previously widely scattered in England, south Wales and Scotland (West Lothian); an old record from Ireland. Endangered (RDB1), possibly extinct.
RDB Category: Endangered (RDB1)
Habitat: Disturbed ground, especially on sandy soil - previously on commercial henbane crops.
Host plant: Various Solanaceae, especially henbane (Hyoscyamus niger)
Overwintering: As adults e.g. among long grass near food plants
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae mine leaf-stalks (petioles) and leaf-blades

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map

Psylliodes luridipennis

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Psylliodes
  • Psylliodes luridipennis
Common name
Lundy Cabbage Flea Beetle

Description

Size: 3.1-3.7mm
Basic colour: Variable (see pattern)
Pattern colour: Head and pronotum usually metallic bronze, sometimes greenish/bluish; elytra vary from brownish-yellow to the typical colour range.
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Common
Pronotoum: See pattern above
Leg colour: Yellowish, hind femora darkened

Biology

Status: Endemic to Lundy Island off the coast of north Devon; found along the SE 3.5km of coastline. Has been listed as both Endangered (RDB1) and a Vulnerable (RDB2) endemic, and the latter is used here, though the situation may need review depending on threats to the foodplant.
RDB Category: Vulnerable (RDB2)
Habitat: Sea cliffs, granite outcrops, cliff grassland (may be sparse), and in a small valley among bramble and gorse. Always within 300m of the sea.
Host plant: Lundy Cabbage Coincya wrightii, itself and endemic which is threatened by grazing and invasive Rhododendron.
Overwintering: Probably as late-instar larvae within host-plant stems.
Food: Adults on leaves; larvae within leaf-stalks (petioles), midribs and stems.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map

Subscribe to