Scriptured Leaf Beetles

Pachybrachis

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Chrysomeloidea
Family: Chrysomelidae
Subfamily: Cryptocephalinae
Tribe: Cryptocephalini
Subtribe: Pachybrachina
Genus: Pachybrachis

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Pachybrachis: //ˌpækɪˈbreɪkɪs//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

PachybrachisBivittatus2 by Smidon33. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

PachybrachisBivittatus by Smidon33. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

PachybrachisBivittatus3 by Smidon33. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

PachybrachisBivittatus1 by Smidon33. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Case-bearing Leaf Beetle - Pachybrachis impurus, Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, Crossett, Arkansas by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Pachybrachis pulvinatus Suffrian, 1852 (Coleoptera- Chrysomelidae) by NHM Beetles and Bugs. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Summary

Pachybrachis is a genus of scriptured leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, comprising over 200 species in North America and around 360 species worldwide across two subgenera.

Physical Characteristics

2-6 mm pronotum margined at base, without lateral grooves for antennae; profemora thicker than metafemora; claws simple.

Identification Tips

Most species are difficult to separate without dissection.

Habitat

Diverse habitats including trees such as hickory and willow, often associated with a variety of plants.

Distribution

Holarctic distribution, with much more diversity in southern regions of North America and drier western/southwestern areas.

Diet

Foliar feeding on a variety of plants and reported to eat pollen.

Life Cycle

Larvae are case-bearing and often gregarious. Pupae are attached to stems and leaves without cocoons. Typically, adults emerge in late summer, overwinter, and disperse in spring or late summer.