Kingdom Animalia Order Coleoptera Family Nitidulidae Scientific name Meligethes aeneus Rank Species | Phylum Arthropoda Superfamily Cucujoidea Genus Meligethes Higher classification Meligethes | |
Similar Meligethes, Beetle, Insect, Sap beetle, Cabbage shoot we | ||
Meligethes aeneus is an abundant pollen beetle in the United Kingdom. The name now is regarded as being a synonym of Brassicogethes aeneus (Fabricius, 1775). and accordingly superseded.
Adults are about 2–3 mm long, 1–2 mm wide and black with a hint of metallic green. The larvae are up to 3 mm long and white with brown sclerotised plates.
M. aenus is an important pest of oilseed rape. It is not known whether it contributes to the pollination of the crop.
The female beetle lays its eggs in the flower buds of the host-plant and the larvae develop within the flowers. Oviposition and feeding damage the buds of oilseed rape and similar Brassicas and may cause the flowers to drop. Both adults and larvae feed on the pollen and nectar in the flowers.
Myrmica formicidae et meligethes aeneus nitidulidae
References
Meligethes aeneus Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA