Agelastica alni

Agelastica alni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Chrysomelidae
Subfamily: Galerucinae
Genus: Agelastica
Species: A. alni
Binomial name
Agelastica alni
Synonyms

Agelastica alni, the alder leaf beetle, is a species of leaf beetle (Chrysomelidae) in the genus Agelastica. Agelastica alni is distributed in Europe, the Caucasuses, Siberia, north-eastern Kazakhstan, and in the 19th century was introduced to the United States (Kolk & Starzyk, 1996).

The beetle and the beetle's larvae host on the grey or speckled alder (Alnus incana) and to a lesser extent black alder (Alnus glutinosa), but will be found on hazel, birch and/or hornbeam if there is a shortage of food. Causing large holes and gaps from the end of April onwards, which are produced by the larvae in the first two stages, but the main damage is only produced by larvae in the third stage.

Previously rare, and considered extinct in the UK, since being found in Manchester in 2004 it appears to be on the increase in the North West of England. The beetle has since been spreading and found in North Wales in 2018[1].

Description

The alder leaf beetle is a relatively small beetle, around 6–7 mm, black or metallic blue in colour. The larvae are normally black.

References

[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

  1. ↑ "A beetle thought to have been extinct in Britain has been found in ..... Northop Deeside.com". www.deeside.com. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  2. ↑ Dr D R Julian. "Alder leaf beetle/RHS Gardening". Rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  3. ↑ "Agelastica alni". BioLib.cz. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  4. ↑ "Alder Leaf Beetle". Archived from the original on 2009-12-19. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  5. ↑ "alder flea beetle". Oregonstate.edu. 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  6. ↑ "Primary and secondary host plants differ in leaf-level photosynthetic response to herbivory: evidence from Alnus and Betula grazed by the alder beetle, Agelastica alni" (PDF). New Phytol. 140: 239–249. 1998. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-29.

Bibliography

  • Kolk A, Starzyk JR. 1996. Atlas of harmful forest insects. Warsaw, Poland: MULTICO (in Polish).
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