Blackthorn Mining Bee vs Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle

Andrena varians compared with Longitarsus succineus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackthorn Mining Bee	Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Coleoptera (Beetles)
Family	Andrenidae	Chrysomelidae
Genus	Andrena	Longitarsus
Species	Andrena varians	Longitarsus succineus

Evolutionary Relationship

Blackthorn Mining Bee and Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Blackthorn Mining Bee

LC — Least Concern

Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blackthorn Mining Bee	Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackthorn Mining Bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Blackthorn Mining Bee

The Blackthorn Mining Bee (Andrena varians) is a species in the genus Andrena. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Distributed across Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle

The chrysanthemum flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephalus) is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, native to Europe and western Asia. Adults are small, shiny, metallic bronze-green to blue-black beetles, and like other flea beetles, they possess enlarged hind femora that enable them to jump powerfully when disturbed, giving the group their common name. Both adults and larvae of this species feed on plants in the family Brassicaceae, particularly oilseed rape (Brassica napus), as well as members of related plant families. The specific association with chrysanthemum suggested by the common name may reflect occasional feeding on ornamental plants or historical misidentification, as the primary pest hosts in agricultural contexts are cruciferous crops. Adult beetles make characteristic small round holes in leaves, and larvae mine the stems of host plants. Psylliodes chrysocephalus is a notable agricultural pest of oilseed rape in parts of Europe, where larval stem mining can reduce crop vigor. Population levels are highest in autumn when adults are actively feeding and laying eggs. Integrated pest management strategies for flea beetle control include crop rotation, seed treatments, and biological controls.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden