Dichondra Flea Beetle – Chaetocnema repens

Dichondra Flea Beetle – Chaetocnema repens Common Name: Dichondra Flea Beetle Latin Name: Chaetocnema repens Appearance:

• The eggs hatch just below the soil’s surface, taking three days. The white, fine-bristled, soil-dwelling larvae have a light-brown head capsule and are soil-dwelling.
• Larvae in their last (fourth) instar measure 0.17 to 0.25 inches in length. The white pupae are 0.05 inches long and can be found up to 4 inches deep in the soil together with the larvae.
• The development of the larva takes 22 to 25 days, while the pupal stage takes around five days. Adults have considerably expanded hind femora for leaping and are ovoid, measuring approximately 0.06 inches long.
• Adults that have just emerged are white for one day before changing to their distinctive black hue with a metallic reddish bronze tint. Reddish yellow can be seen on the antennae, front, and middle legs.
• Adults can be noted by passing a hand over damaged dichondra. Adults who are upset may leap, some landing on your hand or arm. An adult Dichondra flea beetle overwinters.

Host plant: Bermudagrass and dichondra are common host plants. Territory: Dichondra Flea Beetle is found in North America Damages caused by Dichondra Flea Beetle: Damage appears on Bermudagrass from March to September. Along the length of the leaf blade, there are white, linear bands. The grass seems scorched or bleached. Larvae on dichondra consume the roots, causing the plant to wilt and eventually die. When adults eat leaves, they leave crescent-shaped markings on the top surface. Life history and Habits: The dichondra beetle can cause significant harm if dichondra is employed as a lawn or ground cover. While larval feeding might kill plants, adult eating can disfigure and discolor foliage. Adult beetles feed on the leaves, while larvae feed on the roots. This insect may eat Bermudagrass turf as well. The larvae take roughly a month to reach the adult stage after the females lay their eggs in the soil.