Species Calligrapha californica

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Food · Remarks · Internet References

Help with this please - Calligrapha californica

Reed Chrysomelid beetle, 1:21pm - Calligrapha californica

Leaf Beetles (Chrysomelidae) - Calligrapha californica

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 Calligrapha

Species californica (Calligrapha californica)

Size

6mm

Identification

The black-headed larvae have a dark brown rotund body twice as wide as the head and three times as long. The adult is a dark beige beetle approximately 6 mm long with 3 black stripes on its back.

Range

Appears to occur from California to the east coast with records from Georgia to Montreal.

Food

Larva feed on beggarticks (Bidens sp.) and possibly other plants.

Remarks

The British Columbia Cranberry Growers Association considers Calligrapha californica beneficial, as it feeds on weeds in their cranberry bogs.

Internet References

British Columbia Cranberry Growers Association

Beetle page

Contributed by tom murray on 22 December, 2005 - 4:32pm

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