Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Coleoptera (Beetles) ➔ Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf beetles)

Donacia versicolorea (Brahms, 1790)

Laichkraut-Schilfkäfer

Synonyms and other combinations:

Donacia bidens Olivier, 1791 | Donacia cincta Germar, 1810 | Donacia suffriani Westhoff, 1882 |

  • Donacia versicolorea, female  3006
    Donacia versicolorea (Brahms, 1790)  Laichkraut-Schilfkäfer   
    Donacia versicolorea, female, det. Klaas Reißmann
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2007-06-30 15:14:34
    Image number: 3006
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2007-06-30 15:14:34
    det. Klaas Reißmann
  • Donacia versicolorea  3005
    Donacia versicolorea (Brahms, 1790)  Laichkraut-Schilfkäfer   
    Donacia versicolorea, det. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz; 2003-07-26 13:27:21
    Image number: 3005

    DE, Chemnitz
    2003-07-26 13:27:21
    det. Christoph Benisch

Classification:
Donacia versicolorea belongs to the subfamily Donaciinae, tribe Donaciini.
Distribution:
Europe, Siberia to Kamchatka, Mongolia.
Habitat:
In standing water bodies (ponds, moor lakes).
Description:
Length 5.5 - 10 mm; elytra usually blackish with a bluish shimmer, violet or greenish on the sides, usually with a similar stripe on the back; elytra hairless, broad, flat, strongly narrowed towards tip; tip of elytra transversely truncated, outer corners rounded; dotted stripes strong, spaces narrow, dots of side stripes almost wider than spaces; Upper side of pronotum glossy with fine dots; 3rd antennal segment shorter than 1st antennal segment; antennae and legs partly yellow or reddish brown; hind femora of male protruding abdomen, of female reaching end of abdomen; the hind femora of the male are two-toothed, those of the female with one tooth or toothless.
A similar species is the slightly larger Donacia crassipes.
Biology:
The adults of Donacia versicolorea can be found from May, mostly in July and August on the leaves of floating-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton natans, Potamogetonaceae). The beetles feed on the upper surface of the floating leaves. Occasionally they also feed on arrowhead (Sagittaria) and bur-reed (Sparganium).
The eggs are layed by the females on the leaf-underside. The species hibernates in the last larval stage and pupates in spring.
Donacia versicolorea undergoes a 2-year development cycle.

References, further reading, links:
  1. Rheinheimer, Joachim, & Hassler, Michael: Die Blattkäfer Baden-Württembergs, 2018, 928 pages, Kleinsteuber Books (Karlsruhe), ISBN 978-3-9818110-2-5
  2. Arved Lompe: Die Käfer Europas - Ein Bestimmungswerk im Internet