Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
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Polyphaga
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Series Cucujiformia
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Cucujoidea
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Nitidulid series
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Short-winged Flower Beetles (Kateretidae)
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Brachypterolus
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Toadflax Flower-eating Beetle (Brachypterolus pulicarius)
Species
Brachypterolus pulicarius
- Toadflax Flower-eating Beetle
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia (Animals)
Phylum
Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum
Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class
Insecta (Insects)
Order
Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder
Polyphaga
No Taxon
(Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily
Cucujoidea
No Taxon
(Nitidulid series)
Family
Kateretidae (Short-winged Flower Beetles)
Genus
Brachypterolus
Species
pulicarius
(Toadflax Flower-eating Beetle)
Other Common Names
Antirrhinum Beetle
Explanation of Names
Brachypterolus pulicarius
(Linnaeus 1758)
Size
Adult ~2 mm, larva up to 4 mm
Range
native to Europe, introduced into NA prior to 1920; abundant and common in all Canadian provinces that support yellow and Dalmatian toadflax varieties
Food
on toadflax
Remarks
may have been introduced with imported toadflax plants (first NA record: NY 1919)
(
1
)
; now used to control its host plant
Internet References
Fact sheets:
Robbins (2000)
(
2
)
,
Hansen
(
3
)
,
anon.
(
1
)
Works Cited
1.
Invasive plants with biocontrol -- BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
2.
Breitenfeldt T., ed. (1999-) Montana war on weeds
3.
Biological control: A guide to natural enemies in North America
Contributed by
Phillip Harpootlian
on 2 December, 2005 - 7:15pm
Additional contributions by
Beatriz Moisset
,
v belov
Last updated 6 January, 2015 - 12:41pm