Texas Beetle Information

Return to Texas Entomology - Compiled by Mike Quinn

Flea Beetles of the Rio Grande Valley

Family Chrysomelidae, Subfamily Galerucinae, Tribe Alticini

Flea Beetles have enlarged hind femurs that allow them to jump, much like Fleas

--- A few examples ---

Disonycha glabrata (Fabricius)

(feeding on Passiflora)

Donna, Hidalgo Co., Texas
May 15, 1998 (M Quinn)

There are 36 species of Disonycha north of Mexico.

This genus feeds on a diverse array of plants.

Pleasing Flea Beetle

Kuschelina laeta (Perbosc)

Mission, Hidalgo Co., Texas
July 18, 1999 (M Quinn)

There are 28 species of Kuschelina north of Mexico.

Members of this genus feed on Bignoniaceae, Lamiaceae, Scrophulariaceae.

Eight-spotted Flea Beetle

Omophoita cyanipennis octomaculata (Crotch, 1873)

Donna, Hidalgo Co., Texas
May 27, 1999 (M Quinn)

Range: Texas, Florida, West Indies

References:

Arnett, R.H., Jr., M.C. Thomas, P.E. Skelley & J.H. Frank. (editors). 2002. American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press. 861 pp.

Clark, S.M., D.G. LeDoux, T.N. Seeno, E.G. Riley, A.J. Gilbert & J.M. Sullivan. 2004. Host plants of leaf beetle species occurring in the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae, Chrysomelidae exclusive of Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 2, 476 pp.

Lawson, F.A. 1991. Chrysomelidae (Chrysomeloidea) pp. 568-593. in: Stehr, F.W. (editor) Immature Insects. Volume 2. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, Dubuque, Iowa. xiv + 975 pp.

Peterson, A. 1951. Larvae of Insects: Part II, Coleoptera, Diptera, Neuroptera, Siphonaptera, Mecoptera, Trichoptera. Edwards Bros., Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich. 416 p.

Riley, E.G., S.M. Clark, & T.N. Seeno. 2003. Catalog of the leaf beetles of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae and Chrysomelidae, excluding Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 1, 290 pp.