Pigweed Flea Beetle (male & female???) - Disonycha

Moved

Moved from Leaf Beetles.

… john and jane balaban, 29 July, 2009 - 4:47pm

Moved

Moved from Beetles.

… Will Chatfield-Taylor, 25 August, 2008 - 6:08pm

By no mean an expert but...

I would agree with the Striped beetle being a Pigweed Flea Beetle

However I would think that the dark one might be:

Disonycha politula

You could look through the whole collection of Disonycha and you wouldn't find many specimens noted as male or female. I don't know how the difference is determines unless the female is gravid.

… Ron M., 3 August, 2008 - 2:55pm

Possibly...

Or could it be the Spinach flea beetle (Disonycha Xanthomelas)? That group was on the next page (after D. Politula) in the bugguide. They both look just alike to me. Anyone know how to tell the difference?

… BeeBee, 3 August, 2008 - 5:40pm

Disonycha xanthomelas

I don´t think politula occurs in your area. The dark head and dull elytra make me think of xanthomelas anyway

… Rob Westerduijn, 17 August, 2008 - 3:58pm

Agreed.

Agreed. Although we can't see the last tarsal segment to be certain it isn't Kuschelina it certainly isn't D. glabrata and the host would tentatively place it as another Disonycha.

… John R. Watts, 25 August, 2008 - 9:32pm