Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Apteropeda
- Apteropeda orbiculata
Description
Size: 2.2-2.6mm
Basic colour: Metallic green, bronze, copper, blue or violet
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Basic colour: Metallic green, bronze, copper, blue or violet
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Biology
Status: Locally common in the British Isles. Widespread in the western Palaearctic
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Ribworts (Plantago lanceolata & P. coronopus) and various Lamiaceae & Scrophulariaceae, plus crosswort (Cruciata laevipes) and hazels (Corylus). Larvae on many of these, plus Aster spp, Cirsium spp and Primula spp.
Overwintering: Adults in moss and leaf litter.
Food: Leaves of host plants.
Other notes: One known larval parasitoid (Bracon sp., a braconid wasp). Pupates in an earthen cell. Separated from other Apteropeda by having antennal segments 4 & 5 more-or-less the same length.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Ribworts (Plantago lanceolata & P. coronopus) and various Lamiaceae & Scrophulariaceae, plus crosswort (Cruciata laevipes) and hazels (Corylus). Larvae on many of these, plus Aster spp, Cirsium spp and Primula spp.
Overwintering: Adults in moss and leaf litter.
Food: Leaves of host plants.
Other notes: One known larval parasitoid (Bracon sp., a braconid wasp). Pupates in an earthen cell. Separated from other Apteropeda by having antennal segments 4 & 5 more-or-less the same length.