Taxonomy
- Polyphaga
- Chrysomeloidea
- Chrysomelidae
- Sphaeroderma
- Sphaeroderma rubidum
Description
Size: 2.3-3.1mm
Basic colour: Pale rusty- or orange-red
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Sphaeroderma testaceum
Basic colour: Pale rusty- or orange-red
Pattern colour: None
Number of spots: None
Pronotoum: As basic colour
Leg colour: As basic colour
Confusion species: Sphaeroderma testaceum
Western Palaearctic, including Macaronesia and North Africa.
Biology
Status: Widespread and common, except central & northern Scotland
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various Asteraceae; sometimes on trees.
Overwintering: As larvae (in soil at about 3cm depth), occasionally (but not usually) as adults in moss and grass tussocks.
Food: Adults on leaves (mainly knapweeds, Centaurea spp.); early-instar larvae mine primary & secondary leaf-veins, later-instar larvae feed on the entire leaf tissue between the upper & lower epidermis. Larvae may be able to develop in the flowers of globe artichokes (Cynara cardunculus).
Other notes: Almost circular from above. Front angles of pronotum not prominent. Pronotal punctures very fine, sometimes appearing almost absent. Hibernating larvae and spring pupae predated by several carabid beetle species.
Habitat: Various
Host plant: Various Asteraceae; sometimes on trees.
Overwintering: As larvae (in soil at about 3cm depth), occasionally (but not usually) as adults in moss and grass tussocks.
Food: Adults on leaves (mainly knapweeds, Centaurea spp.); early-instar larvae mine primary & secondary leaf-veins, later-instar larvae feed on the entire leaf tissue between the upper & lower epidermis. Larvae may be able to develop in the flowers of globe artichokes (Cynara cardunculus).
Other notes: Almost circular from above. Front angles of pronotum not prominent. Pronotal punctures very fine, sometimes appearing almost absent. Hibernating larvae and spring pupae predated by several carabid beetle species.