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

Phyllotreta armoraciae (Koch, 1803)

Meerretticherdfloh Horseradish Flea Beetle

Synonyms and other combinations:

Haltica armoraciae Koch, 1803 |

  • Phyllotreta armoraciae  8321
    Phyllotreta armoraciae (Koch, 1803)  Meerretticherdfloh  Horseradish Flea Beetle 
    Phyllotreta armoraciae
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2018-06-16 11:22:42
    Image number: 8321

    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2018-06-16 11:22:42

  • Phyllotreta armoraciae  8322
    Phyllotreta armoraciae (Koch, 1803)  Meerretticherdfloh  Horseradish Flea Beetle 
    Phyllotreta armoraciae, conf. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2018-06-16 11:21:41
    Image number: 8322

    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2018-06-16 11:21:41
    conf. Christoph Benisch
  • Phyllotreta armoraciae  8323
    Phyllotreta armoraciae (Koch, 1803)  Meerretticherdfloh  Horseradish Flea Beetle 
    Phyllotreta armoraciae
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2018-06-17 10:00:34
    Image number: 8323

    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2018-06-17 10:00:34

  • Phyllotreta armoraciae, mating  9286
    Phyllotreta armoraciae (Koch, 1803)  Meerretticherdfloh  Horseradish Flea Beetle 
    Phyllotreta armoraciae, mating, conf. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2020-05-07 12:15:31
    Image number: 9286
    mating
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2020-05-07 12:15:31
    conf. Christoph Benisch

Classification:
Phyllotreta armoraciae belongs to the subfamily Galerucinae, tribe Alticini.
Distribution:
Central Europe, North America
Description:
The Horseradish Flea Beetle Phyllotreta armoraciae has a body length of 2.8 - 3.5 mm. The elytra have a yellow longitudinal bandage of almost the same width or narrowed in the central part with a flat arch, which covers the shoulder bulge. The very narrow side hem and the slightly wider seam hem narrowed at the front and back are black.
Biology:
Adults of the Horseradish Flea Beetle can be observed from April to June and from August to October. The species forms one generation per year.
Phyllotreta armoraciae hibernates as imago. From April, the beetles eat the first freshly sprouting leaves of their host plant horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Mating and oviposition takes place in early spring. An average of 1000 eggs are laid per female, mostly on the lower leaf stalks. The freshly hatched larvae bore into the leaf middle rib or stalk, sometimes also into the roots, and mine there. After passing through 3 larval stages, the larvae leave the plant and pupate in a specially build cave in the ground at a depth of 5 to 10 cm. The new generation of beetles will hatch in August. The beetles eat the leaves and retreat into the ground to hibernate after maturation feeding in October.

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