Kingdom Animalia Family Chrysomelidae Genus Crepidodera Order Beetle | Class Insecta Phylum Arthropoda Rank Species | |
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Similar Crepidodera, Beetle, Crepidodera aurea, Neocrepidodera, Gonioctena viminalis | ||
Weiden erdfloh crepidodera aurata
Crepidodera aurata also known as willow flea beetle, is a species of flea beetles from the Chrysomelidae family, described by Marsham in 1802. It can be found in Palearctic region and to the east of Korea. Can be found in Wales.
Contents
Description
Adult species length is 2.5–2.5 millimetres (0.098–0.098 in), and is oval. Males of the species are black coloured, while females are green. Both have orange legs and antennas.
Habitat and ecology
Can be found in every place where the willow is growing. They hibernate under barks or debris, and can be found under logs and mud. The species live 8–9 months. They are active during spring, precisely, in May, and can be found on the ground where the tree have started throwing its buds. From May to June the species can be seen on poplars and willows, whose leaves they feed on, by leaving round holes. The species are mature in 7–8 months from birth. Starting from June to August the beetles start mating. The females lay their eggs on the leaves of plants that the recently fed on. The eggs colour is yellow, and are spindle-like. The larvae is hatching in summer, with the size of 5–6 millimetres (0.20–0.24 in) in length, black coloured, and in resemblance of a slug. The larvae feeds on the same plants that their previous generation used to feed on. The larvae becomes adult in three months, and the cycle continues from that point.