Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle vs clouded magpie

Longitarsus succineus compared with Abraxas sylvata

Key Differences

  • Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle is Least Concern while clouded magpie is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle clouded magpie
Kingdom same Animalia (hewan) Animalia (hewan)
Phylum same Arthropoda (Artropoda) Arthropoda (Artropoda)
Class same Insecta (serangga) Insecta (serangga)
Order Coleoptera (kumbang) Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family Chrysomelidae Geometridae
Genus Longitarsus Abraxas
Species Longitarsus succineus Abraxas sylvata

Evolutionary Relationship

Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle and clouded magpie share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (serangga)

Conservation Status

Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle

LC — Least Concern

clouded magpie

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle clouded magpie
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chrysanthemum Flea Beetle

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

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

clouded magpie

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

clouded magpie

The clouded magpie (Abraxas sylvata) is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae found across temperate Europe, extending eastward through Russia to Japan. The adult wingspan measures approximately 32–42 mm, with white wings bearing a distinctive pattern of yellow-orange and dark grey to black spots and patches arranged in rows across the forewing and hindwing, creating a striking patterned appearance resembling the magpie coloring of the related magpie moth Abraxas grossulariata, but with a more yellowish, muted tone and less black — hence 'clouded.' Adults fly in one generation from June to July, resting on leaf surfaces and attending woodland flowers for nectar. The larvae feed on wych elm (Ulmus glabra) and occasionally other Ulmus species in mature deciduous woodland and woodland edges. The clouded magpie has become less common in parts of its European range due to the widespread loss of mature elms from Dutch elm disease, which devastated European elm populations from the 1970s onward. Conservation of this species requires the protection of surviving mature elm trees and management of regrowth elms in woodland ecosystems.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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