Chaetocnema pulicaria

Chaetocnema pulicaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Chrysomelidae
Genus:	Chaetocnema
Species:	C. hortensis
Binomial name
Chaetocnema hortensis F. E. Melsheimer, 1880

Chaetocnema hortensis, also known as the Corn Flea Beetle^[1] and Clover Flea Beetle,^[2] is a species of flea beetle from Chrysomelidae family, found in Texas, USA^[3] and Canada.^[4]

Description

The species is black coloured, with orange legs and antennae.^[3] Their size is quite small, about ¹⁄₁₆ inch (1.6 mm) long.^[5]

Species life cycle

The females lay eggs in a soil, which either have leaves or stems of plants growing nearby. The newborns hatch out of the eggs in 7 to 14 days, and turn into larvae. While in their larvae stage, they have small worm-like bodies that are white coloured. The larvae feeds especially on plants roots, causing a serious damage to the plant. Then it transforms into pupae, and a week later, into an adult.^[5]

Pest

The species is known for causing damage to crops. The damaged plants include sorghum, soybeans, sweet corn, small grains, and some vegetables.^[6] They feed on both sides of a leaf (upper and lower parts), including epidermis and the veins. They also transmit Stewart's disease: by removing the leaf tissue from the plant, they open a wound which allows the disease to begin spreading from plant to plant. They transmit a specific version of the disease, Erwinia stewartii (also known as Pantoea stewartii), which is harmful for certain corn products.

References