Silky fall beetle
| Silky fall beetle | ||||||||||||
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Silky fall beetle ( Cryptocephalus sericeus ) |
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| Cryptocephalus sericeus | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The silky fall beetle or green-blue fall beetle ( Cryptocephalus sericeus ) is a beetle from the family of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae).
features
The beetles are six to eight millimeters long and have a cylindrical and compact body. The chitin armor has a metallic sheen, with the color varying between green, gold and gold-green, more rarely blue or purple. The pronotum and the wing panels are finely granulated, with the pronotum, which is curved in an S-shape on the side, has finer points. The wing panels do not completely cover the abdomen at the rear end . There are two oblique impressions in front of the scutellum . The head, legs and the rather long, thread-like antennae are dark in color. The first to fifth antenna elements have a metallic sheen. The head bent downwards and the end of the abdomen are compressed. An important defining feature are the two strikingly shiny cusps at the end of the slightly hollowed prothorax .
Similar species
- Cryptocephalus aureolus Suffrian , 1847
Taxonomy
The following synonyms are used in the literature :
- Chrysomela sericeus Linnaeus , 1758
Subspecies
- Cryptocephalus sericeus intrusus sage , 1882. Croatia , Italy , Slovenia .
- Cryptocephalus sericeus sericeus ( Linnaeus , 1758)
- Cryptocephalus sericeus zambanellus Marseul , 1875. Bosnia , Croatia , Slovenia , Herzegovina , Italy .
Occurrence
The beetles are widespread in Europe . In the north the distribution area extends to Denmark, southern Norway and central Sweden. The species is absent from the British Isles . It lives in open, sunny areas, such as meadows and slopes, and flies from May to July.
Way of life and development
During the day, the animals usually sit on bushes or the flowers of yellow daisy family , on whose pollen they feed. The larvae feed on leaves. They live in an enclosure made of their own droppings that they carry around with them. The pupation takes place in the ground.
credentials
- ^ Cryptocephalus (Cryptocephalus) sericeus (Linnaeus, 1758). Fauna Europaea, Version 1.3, April 19, 2007 , accessed June 19, 2007 .
- ↑ Cryptocephalus (Cryptocephalus) sericeus intrusus Weise 1882. Fauna Europaea, Version 1.3, April 19, 2007 , accessed on June 19, 2007 .
- ^ Cryptocephalus (Cryptocephalus) sericeus sericeus (Linnaeus 1758). Fauna Europaea, Version 1.3, April 19, 2007 , accessed June 19, 2007 .
- ↑ Cryptocephalus (Cryptocephalus) sericeus zambanellus Marseul 1875. Fauna Europaea, Version 1.3, April 19, 2007 , accessed on June 19, 2007 .
literature
- Jiři Zahradnik, Irmgard Jung, Dieter Jung et al .: Beetles of Central and Northwestern Europe. Parey, Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-490-27118-1 .
