Crepidodera aurata flea beetle

A Crepidodera aurata flea beetle on a Salix Caprea (Great Sallow) bush. The Crepidodera genus of Chrysomelidae feed on Salix and Populus species of plant. Crepidodera aurata has a metallic blue/green elytra (wing casings) with a metallic copper/bronze coloured pronotum and head. The body (excluding antennae) is approximately 3mm long.

Flea beetles is a general name applied to the small, jumping beetles of the leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae). They make up the tribe Alticini, which is a part of the subfamily Galerucinae, though they were historically classified as a subfamily in their own right.

The adults are very small to moderately sized Chrysomelidae (i.e. among beetles in general they are on the smallish side). They are similar to other leaf beetles, but characteristically have the hindleg femora greatly enlarged. These enlarged femora allow for the springing action of these insects when disturbed. Flea beetles can also walk normally and fly. Many flea beetles are attractively coloured; dark, shiny and often metallic colors predominate.

Adult flea beetles feed externally on plants, eating the surface of the leaves, stems and petals. Under heavy feeding the small round holes caused by an individual flea beetle's feeding may coalesce into larger areas of damage.

Description adapted from Wikipedia aticle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curculionidae

• Biota
• Life
• Vitae
• Eukaryota
• Animalia
• Animals
• Arthropoda
• Arthropods
• Insecta
• Insects
• Green
• Salix Caprea
• Coleoptera
• Beetles
• Crepidodera aurata
• Chrysomelidae
• Leaf beetles
• Crepidodera
• Great Sallow
• Goat Willow
• Metallic
• Shiny
• Flea Beetle
• Galerucinae
• Alticini

• Adobe Camera RAW