Longitarsus melanocephalus (De Geer, 1775)

Taxonomy

  • Polyphaga
  • Chrysomeloidea
  • Chrysomelidae
  • Longitarsus
  • Longitarsus melanocephalus

Description

Size: 2.3-3.1mm
Basic colour: Yellowish to reddish or brownish (rarely entirely dark reddish-brown)
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour, hind femora darkened
Confusion species: Longitarsus kutscherae
, Confusion species: Longitarsus plantagomaritimus

Palaearctic (including the Middle East and North Africa)

Biology

Status: Widespread and common
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Plantains (Plantago spp.), occasionally on other plants.
Overwintering: As adults in leaf litter, moss and grass tussocks.
Food: Adults on leaves, larvae in roots or on leaf petioles.
Other notes: Dissection of genitalia needed for separation from L. kutscherae & L. plantagomaritimus. Adults parasitised by larvae of a braconid wasp, probably Perilitus sp.

Distribution (may take a minute to appear)

Distribution Map