Gonioctena viminalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Gonioctena
  • Gonioctena viminalis

Description

Size: 5.5-7.0mm
Basic colour: Orange to yellow with black spots (sometimes dorsally all black)
Pattern colour: Orange to yellow with black spots (sometimes dorsally all black)
Number of spots: Two (sometimes fused into one broad spot) on the pronotum, five on each elytron (but sometimes fused, missing, partially missing or dorsally all black)
Spot fusions: Sometimes
Other colour forms: Sometimes
Pronotoum: See above
Leg colour: Black or dark brown (yellowish claws)
Confusion species: Gonioctena decemnotata

Biology

Status: Widespread, especially in southern England.
Habitat: Broad-leaved woodland, parkland, commons, moors.
Host plant: Usually willows and poplars, rarely other trees.
Overwintering: Adults overwinter though location unknown.
Food: Underside of leaves of host plants.
Other notes: Similar to G. decemnotata, but head entirely black, legs black or dark brown.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map