Green Metallic Flea Beetle ? & Alder Leaf Beetle Larvae ?

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rogerwilkinson
Posts: 130
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:23 am

Green Metallic Flea Beetle ? & Alder Leaf Beetle Larvae ?

Post by rogerwilkinson »

Green Metallic Flea Beetle ? & Alder Leaf Beetle Larvae ?

Returned to Burton Mere today in hope of getting better shots of the metallic leaf beetles I had rather poor photographs of from there. Don had suggested these as Alder Leaf Beetles though I was concerned as they were not on Alder (I think they were on Bramble) and to my eyes had a green rather than blue sheen.

I was unsuccessful in relocating these but found some similar looking beetles below the Alders but feeding on Great Willowherb. Searching the Internet I found these appeared to fit the Green Metallic Flea Beetle Attica lythri and would appreciate thoughts on this. Photos below. In several photos the beetles appeared to be of two sizes.

Q Green Metallic Flea Beetles - beetles of two sizes
Q Green Metallic Flea Beetles - beetles of two sizes
Q Green Metallic Flea Beetles
Q Green Metallic Flea Beetles
Q Green Metallic Flea Beetle
Q Green Metallic Flea Beetle
Continuing to search the Common Alders I found lots of black larvae feeding on the lower leaves which from a web search appear to resemble those of the Alder Leaf Beetle. Again would appreciate confirmation or other suggestions as to their identification. Photos below.
Q Alder Leaf Beetle Larvae
Q Alder Leaf Beetle Larvae
Alder Leaf Beetle Larva
Alder Leaf Beetle Larva
Thank you.

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wirralbirder
Posts: 323
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:50 am

Re: Green Metallic Flea Beetle ? & Alder Leaf Beetle Larvae

Post by wirralbirder »

Hi Roger,

Unable to help. I looked at several small green leaf beetle candidates but couldn't get a match.

Sorry,
H

CliveJ
Posts: 210
Joined: Mon May 16, 2016 4:02 pm

Re: Green Metallic Flea Beetle ? & Alder Leaf Beetle Larvae

Post by CliveJ »

Hi there,

I also saw the swarms of little black larvae on the alders at BMW. For a few minutes I was hopeful they might be early instar Alder Moth, but a look at UKLeps showed me that they are bird-dropping mimics at first, before turning into the fantastic black and yellow larger caterpillar (which I've never seen !) - Alder Leaf Beetle they are then.

Clive

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