Aphthona melancholica Weise, 1888

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Aphthona
  • Aphthona melancholica

Description

Size: 2.3-2.5mm (possibly from 1.8mm)
Basic colour: Shiny black, sometimes dark blue.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: Yellow (see 'other notes' below).

Biology

Status: Widespread, though absent from Scotland.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Wood spurge and Mediterranean spurge; also hazels and oaks.
Overwintering: Unknown location, but adults do overwinter.
Food: Adults feed on spurge leaves.
Other notes: Broad/oval. Elytra with clear deep punctures. Antennae usually yellowish. Femora, tibiae and tarsi yellow expect for the last three tarsal segments (brown).

Articles

  • (2009), Aphthona melancholica Weise and Crepidodera plutus (Latreille) (Chrysomelidae) - two interesting Welsh records The Coleopterist 18(1):14

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map