Species Altica foliaceae - Apple Flea Beetle

species COMPLEX

Altica foliaceae LeConte 1858

5-6 mm

Roughly: CA-FL-MD-ND / Mex. (1)

Polyphagous, but preferred hosts are likely limited to the members of the Evening Primrose Family - Onagraceae (2)

CO: Larvae develop on evening primrose (Oenothera); adults disperse to feed on a wide range of plants including Epilobium, Gaura, Zauschneria, grape, crabapple, and willow.

FL: Often severely damages crape myrtle and Mexican heather. This beetle emerges in early spring when the adults and larvae develop in high numbers on a weed, evening primrose, Oenothera spp. As the beetles mature and the evening primrose is consumed or dies, May-June in north Florida, the beetles disperse to other plants. They are often seen on many species of plants, but feeding damage is primarily on crape myrtle in June.

Colorado State

2017 local outbreak in c. TX:

In recent years, several outbreaks of this insect have occurred throughout Colorado.

LeConte J.L. 1858. Descriptions of new species of Coleoptera, chiefly collected by the United States and Mexican Boundary Commission, under Major W.H.Emory, U.S.A. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 10: 59-89.

Type - MCZ, Harvard

Colorado State

Invasive.org (note, this sp. is native to N. Amer.)