Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Donacia
- Donacia crassipes
Common name
Water-Lily Reed Beetle
Images
Source: Malcolm Greenwood
Description
Size: 8.1-10.8mm
Basic colour: Dark and shiny; purplish or coppery reflection, sometimes greenish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour in part, partly red-brown. Hind legs long and curved.
Confusion species: Donacia versicolorea
Basic colour: Dark and shiny; purplish or coppery reflection, sometimes greenish.
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour in part, partly red-brown. Hind legs long and curved.
Confusion species: Donacia versicolorea
Palaearctic.
Biology
Status: Widely scattered. Scarce (Notable B)
Habitat: With water-lilies.
Host plant: Water-lilies Nuphar spp. & Nymphaea spp.
Overwintering: Three-year life cycle with adults overwintering in cocoons.
Food: Adults on upper surface of leaves.
Other notes: Elytra relatively flattened (like D. versicolorea) but larger and with an earlier season (from May).
Habitat: With water-lilies.
Host plant: Water-lilies Nuphar spp. & Nymphaea spp.
Overwintering: Three-year life cycle with adults overwintering in cocoons.
Food: Adults on upper surface of leaves.
Other notes: Elytra relatively flattened (like D. versicolorea) but larger and with an earlier season (from May).