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

Crepidodera aurata (Marsham, 1802)

Weiden-Erdfloh Willow Flea Beetle

Synonyms and other combinations:

Chrysomela aurata Marsham, 1802 | Chalcoides aureola Foudras, 1860 | Haltica pulchella Stephens, 1834 | Haltica versicolor Kutschera, 1860 |

  • Crepidodera aurata 3013
    Crepidodera aurata (Marsham, 1802)  Weiden-Erdfloh  Willow Flea Beetle 
    Crepidodera aurata
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2008-07-12 13:41:20
    Image number: 3013

    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2008-07-12 13:41:20
  • Crepidodera aurata 3014
    Crepidodera aurata (Marsham, 1802)  Weiden-Erdfloh  Willow Flea Beetle 
    Crepidodera aurata
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2008-07-12 13:42:39
    Image number: 3014

    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2008-07-12 13:42:39
  • Crepidodera aurata 3012
    Crepidodera aurata (Marsham, 1802)  Weiden-Erdfloh  Willow Flea Beetle 
    Crepidodera aurata
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-05-04 12:15:04
    Image number: 3012

    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2018-05-04 12:15:04
  • Crepidodera aurata 7634
    Crepidodera aurata (Marsham, 1802)  Weiden-Erdfloh  Willow Flea Beetle 
    Crepidodera aurata
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2017-04-21 15:54:00
    Image number: 7634

    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2017-04-21 15:54:00
  • Crepidodera aurata 7635
    Crepidodera aurata (Marsham, 1802)  Weiden-Erdfloh  Willow Flea Beetle 
    Crepidodera aurata
    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2017-04-21 15:54:51
    Image number: 7635

    DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
    2017-04-21 15:54:51

Classification:
Crepidodera aurata belongs to the subfamily Galerucinae, tribe Alticini.
Distribution:
Palearctic
Habitat:
In both dry and humid habitats, often in river and brook floodplains.
Description:
Length 2.5 - 3.5 mm; upper side shiny metallic; pronotum (green to gold or coppery-red to violet) and elytra (blue, green-golden or violet) differently coloured; elytra with completely regular, simple rows of dots, the spaces between which are occupied only by extremely fine, often barely visible dots; pronotum with a distinctly pronounced transverse furrow at the back; dotting of the pronotum strong and very uneven; basal half of the antennae light, gradually darkened towards the tip; front and middle legs monochrome light.
Biology:
Crepidodera aurata is a macropterous and airworthy species that forms one generation per year. The imagines can be found on their host plants from May to October (with peaks in late June and mid September). They mostly live on willows [e.g. goat willow (Salix caprea ), almond willow (Salix triandra), crack willow (Salix fragilis), basket willow (Salix viminalis) and white willow (Salix alba)], less frequently on poplars [e.g. aspen (Populus tremula) and black poplar (Populus nigra)].
Crepidodera aurata hibernates as imago. After a maturation feeding, the eggs are laid. The larvae develop in summer and live at the roots of willows. The new generation can be found outside from late summer.

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