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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398142
Research Project: Systematics of Beetles, Flies, Moths and Wasps with an Emphasis on Agricultural Pests, Invasive Species, Biological Control Agents, and Food Security

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: First report of the Palearctic Flea Beetle Neocrepidodera ferruginea (Scopoli, 1763) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) for the United States of America

Author
item RUESINK, W. - Michigan State University
item HAACK, ROBERT - Forest Service (FS)
item Konstantinov, Alexander - Alex
item COGNATO, A. - Michigan State University

Submitted to: The Coleopterists Bulletin
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/19/2023
Publication Date: 3/17/2023
Citation: Ruesink, W., Haack, R.A., Konstantinov, A.S., Cognato, A.I. 2023. First report of the Palearctic Flea Beetle Neocrepidodera ferruginea (Scopoli, 1763) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) for the United States of America. The Coleopterists Bulletin. 77(1):116-119. https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-77.1.116.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1649/0010-065X-77.1.116

Interpretive Summary: Leaf beetles, especially spotted cucumber beetle and its relatives, are among the most important insects for U.S. agriculture. Many are serious pests and feed on crops destroying valuable plants costing millions of dollars annually. Others are important biological control agents that can be used to control unwanted and invasive weeds. This work documents discovery of a European flea beetle in the U.S. and provides a short diagnoses and illustrations of this beetle. The study will be useful to biological control workers, pest managers, evolutionary biologists, ecologists, and anyone interested in plant feeding beetles.

Technical Abstract: Western Palearctic flea beetle, Neocrepidodera ferruginea (Scopoli) is reported in the U.S for the first time. It is illustrated with figures of dorsal and frontal habiti, and male and female genitalia. Distinguishing characters of Neocrepidodera from other U.S. flea beetle genera and N. ferruginea from other U.S species of Neocrepidodera are provided.