Strawberry Flea Beetle – Altica ignata

Strawberry Flea Beetle – Altica ignata   Scientific name: Altica ignata Common name: Strawberry flea beetle   Appearance: Strawberry flea beetle is a metallic, shiny blue or purple beetle with small indentations on the outer wings. It grows up to 3.7 mm in length, and females are usually larger than males. Their larvae are oval and yellowish-brown in color, consisting of 10 body segments and 3 pairs of legs near the head. The enlarged hindlegs allow them to hop long distances.   Host plants or food: Strawberry flea beetle, as the name suggests, feeds mainly on strawberries and evening primrose.   Territory: Throughout North America   Mode of damage: Strawberry flea beetle is a leaf chewer and damages the plant by feeding on its foliage.   Habits and life history   Strawberry flea beetles are commonly found in agricultural fields, especially the ones growing strawberries. Female beetles lay eggs on the leaves in clusters of 15, which hatch into larvae. The larvae feed on the foliage and then drop to the soil, where it pupates. It overwinters in the soil and emerges as an adult in spring. While the adults only feed on the foliage, the larvae can feed on the leaves as well as the fruit. Depending on the area, there can be 1 to 3 generations per year.