Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#73430
Western Corn Rootworm - Diabrotica virgifera

Western Corn Rootworm - Diabrotica virgifera
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
August 22, 2006
Not quite sure what I have here. It appears to be a leaf beetle. It looks something like a potato beetle, but it's completely yellow and those have a different colored head. It looks like several of the skeletonizing leaf beetles, particularly Acalymma, except that the leg coloration looks different and the middle stripe doesn't extend all the way to the ends of the wings. Also, this one looks like the body is slightly longer than the wings. Any ideas?

Not a western corn rootworm... it's a striped cucumber beetle!
This is actually a Striped Cucumber Beetle (Acalymma vittatum). Found some on a cucumber plant today!

 
looks the same
except for a few things which the photographer mentioned above. I'm pretty sure it is a western corn rootworm.

 
Western Corn Rootworm
The difference between the two genera are in the antenna with Diabrotica having segments 2 and 3 subequal like in this beetle here and Acalymma having the third longer than the second. Acallyma also has characteristic rows of punctures on the elytra wereas in Diabrotica the elytra are mostly smooth with small scattered punctures.

Moved
Moved from Leaf Beetles.

Moved
Moved from Beetles.

Western Corn Rootworm?
I found a matching image, but it doesn't have its own guide page yet. See this image.

 
Diabrotica virgifera
yes...could such a page be made for both this and the other picture of Diabrotica virgifera - Western Corn Rootworm
This species is also a pest in europe on corn and is invading westwards as it has been found in Great Brittain recently.

 
Western Corn Rootworm
It sure looks like the same. Thx.