|
Species Epicauta vittata - Striped Blister Beetle
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Tenebrionoidea (Fungus, Bark, Darkling and Blister Beetles)
Family Meloidae (Blister Beetles)
Subfamily Meloinae
Tribe Epicautini
Genus Epicauta
No Taxon (subgenus Epicauta)
No Taxon (Vittata Group)
Species vittata (Striped Blister Beetle)
Other Common Names Old-fashioned potato bug Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Epicauta vittata ( Fabricius, 1775). Taxonomic notes:
Epicauta lemniscata is apparently considered conspecific by many--see Internet references.
Explanation of Names Species name vittata is Scientific Latin for "longitudinally striped" (in Classical Latin it refers to a band or ribbon) Identification Dull yellow head and pronotum, each elytron with two black stripes. Body underneath and legs black (1).
So-called Three-lined Blister Beetle, Epicauta lemniscata, has three black stripes on each elytron, found in south (2). Now considered a race of vittata according to Univ. Florida Featured CreaturesRange Eastern and central United States, south to Florida, west to South Dakota, Kansas, Texas. Recorded from Quebec and Ontario in Canada. Season June-September (North Carolina). May-October (Arkansas). April-June, and in fall (Florida). Food Feeds on variety of plants, especially Solanaceae (e.g., potatoes, tomatoes), also soybeans, other crops. Pigweed, Amaranthus species, not a crop plant, is also fed upon extensively. Life Cycle Two generations per year that may overlap. See Also Epicauta occidentalis Werner and Epicauta temexa Selander and Adams, are very similar. Print References Arnett et al., p. 286, fig. 672 (2)
Brimley, p. 162, lists both Epicauta lemniscata and Epicauta vittata from North Carolina (3).
Cranshaw, pp. 176-177--photo Epicauta lemniscata (4)
Dillon, p. 295, plate 30 (1)
Papp, p. 104, fig. 328 (5)
Salsbury, p. 217-- Epicauta lemniscata--photo (6)
Sikes, p. 200, lists from Rhode Island, lists food plants (7). Works Cited | 2. | How to Know the Beetles
By Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques | |
| 6. | Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White | |
|
|
|
|
