Agelastica alni
Encyclopedia
The alder leaf beetle, Agelastica alni, is a species
of leaf beetle
(Chrysomelidae) in the genus Agelastica. Agelastica alni is distributed in Europe, the Caucasuses, Siberia, north-eastern Kazakhstan, and in the 19th century was introduced to the USA (Kolk & Starzyk, 1996).
Previously rare, it now appears to be on the increase in the Northwest. The beetle and the beetle's larvae host on the grey or speckled alder (Alnus incana) and to a lesser extent black alder
(Alnus glutinosa), but will be found on hazel
, birch
and/or hornbeam
if there is a shortage of food. Causing large holes and gaps from the end of April onwards, which are produced by the larvae in the first two stages, but the main damage is only produced by larvae in the third stage.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of leaf beetle
Leaf beetle
Beetles in the family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles. This is a family of over 35,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families....
(Chrysomelidae) in the genus Agelastica. Agelastica alni is distributed in Europe, the Caucasuses, Siberia, north-eastern Kazakhstan, and in the 19th century was introduced to the USA (Kolk & Starzyk, 1996).
Previously rare, it now appears to be on the increase in the Northwest. The beetle and the beetle's larvae host on the grey or speckled alder (Alnus incana) and to a lesser extent black alder
Black Alder
Alnus glutinosa is an alder native to most of Europe, including all of the British Isles and Fennoscandia and locally in southwest Asia....
(Alnus glutinosa), but will be found on hazel
Hazel
The hazels are a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae, though some botanists split the hazels into a separate family Corylaceae.They have simple, rounded leaves with double-serrate margins...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
and/or hornbeam
Hornbeam
Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus . Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels and hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, Corylaceae, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily Coryloideae...
if there is a shortage of food. Causing large holes and gaps from the end of April onwards, which are produced by the larvae in the first two stages, but the main damage is only produced by larvae in the third stage.