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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)
Genus Epicauta
Species vittata (Striped Blister Beetle)
Other Common Names Old-fashioned potato bug Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Epicauta lemniscata is apparently considered conspecific by many--see Internet references. 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 Dillon, p. 295, plate 30 (1)
Arnett et al., p. 286, fig. 672 (2)
Papp, p. 104, fig. 328 (3)
Salsbury, p. 217-- Epicauta lemniscata--photo (4)
Cranshaw, pp. 176-177--photo Epicauta lemniscata (5)
Brimley, p. 162, lists both Epicauta lemniscata and Epicauta vittata from North Carolina (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 | |
| 4. | Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White | |
Contributed by Beatriz Moisset on 10 July, 2005 - 4:40pm Additional contributions by cotinisLast updated 10 September, 2006 - 8:51pm |
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