|
Species Labidomera clivicollis - Swamp Milkweed Leaf 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 Chrysomeloidea (Long-horned and Leaf Beetles)
Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Subfamily Chrysomelinae
Genus Labidomera
Species clivicollis (Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle)
Other Common Names Milkweed Leaf Beetle Numbers There are four species of Labidomera, but only L. clivicollis occurs north of Mexico. The other species occur in Mexico and Central America. (1)Identification Distinctive large black and orange/red beetle found on milkweed. Larva is orange, with well-developed legs. Range Occur in every state east of the Rocky Mountains, and into northern Mexico. (1)Habitat Meadows, roadsides, with milkweed, esp. wetlands with Swamp Milkeed, Asclepias incarnata. Season Late spring, summer to fall. Some adults overwinter and are presumably the ones observed in spring. June-July, September (Minnesota). Adults less common, or absent, in mid-summer. In Durham, North Carolina, adults observed active on milkweed starting in late May. (pers. observation, P. Coin) Food Foliage, flowers, of milkweed, esp. Swamp Milkeed, Asclepias incarnata, but also found on Common Milkeed, Asclepias syriaca. Also on Cynanchum and Sarcostemma. (2)Life Cycle Often overwinter as adults among leaves of such plants as mullein (Verbascum). Adults mate on or around milkweed. Eggs are cemented to the underside of leaves. Larvae feed on leaves, drop to ground to pupate. (3)Remarks Part of the orange and black milkweed mimicry complex, which inlcudes Monarch butterfly, Red Milkweed Beetle, Milkweed bugs, and at least one assassin bug.
Both larvae and adults of this species cut several side-veins of a milkweed leaf prior to feeding, to reduce the sticky latex that would otherwise be produced at their feeding sites. (4)Print References Milne, p. 609, plate 151 (3)
Rea, p. 54, pictures adult and larva (5)
Dillon, p. 685, plate LXIX #7 (6)
Papp, p. 241, fig. 794 (7)
Arnett, p. 326, fig. 764 (8)
Brimley, p. 225--lists collection dates for North Carolina as May, June (9)
Balsbaugh, p. 92, reports from Alabama with collection dates in July (10)Internet References Insects of Cedar Creek: photos, phenology table (for family)
Works Cited | 2. | Host Plants of Leaf Beetle Species Occuring in the United States and Canada
By Shawn M. Clark, Douglas G. LeDoux, Terry N. Seeno, Edward G. Riley, Arthur L. Gilbert, and James M. Sullivan | |
| 8. | How to Know the Beetles
By Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques | |
| 10. | The leaf beetles of Alabama
By Edward Balsbaugh and Kirby Hays | |
|
|
|
|
