Systena frontalis: taxon details and analytics
- Domain
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera
- Family
- Chrysomelidae
- Genus
- Systena
- Species
- Systena frontalis
- Scientific Name
- Systena frontalis
Summary description from Wikipedia:
Systena frontalis
Systena frontalis, the red-headed flea beetle, is a species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in North America. It is named for its red colored head that contrasts its black body. Like other flea beetles, it has powerful saltatorial hind legs specialized for jumping. Like all beetles, this insect is holometabolous The larvae are off white in color, 5-10mm in length, have a sclerotized head capsule and a short posterior protrusion.
It is a common insect pest in the eastern United States. Although its origin is uncertain, S. frontalis is thought to be a native species. It has become a highly destructive pest of ornamental plants in nurseries.
It creates "extensive perforations" in the leaves while feeding on common ironweed, Vernonia fasciculata. It is also known to enjoy hydrangeas. Currently, researchers are looking to better understand its phenology and biology to come up with more sustainable pest management practices than frequent spraying of pesticides.
...Systena frontalis in languages:
- English
- Red-headed flea beetle
- French
- Altise à tête rouge
Images from inaturalist.org observations:
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Parent Taxon
Sibling Taxa
- Systena abbreviata
- Systena alia
- Systena basalis
- Systena bitaeniata
- Systena blanda
- Systena capitata
- Systena carri
- Systena championi
- Systena chloropus
- Systena contigua
- Systena corni
- Systena dimorpha
- Systena discicollis
- Systena elongata
- Systena elysia
- Systena frontalis
- Systena gracilenta
- Systena hudsonias
- Systena laevis
- Systena laticollis
- Systena marcapatensis
- Systena marginalis
- Systena marginata
- Systena matogrossoensis
- Systena mexicana
- Systena nigroplagiata
- Systena nitentula
- Systena novemmaculata
- Systena oberthuri
- Systena obliterata
- Systena pallicornis
- Systena palmeri
- Systena pectoralis
- Systena plagiata
- Systena posticata
- Systena puncticollis
- Systena s-littera
- Systena salvini
- Systena scurra
- Systena scutellaris
- Systena semivittata
- Systena sexnotata
- Systena silvestrii
- Systena subcostata
- Systena subrugosa
- Systena sulphurea
- Systena tenuis
- Systena thoracica
- Systena undulata
- Systena variabilis
- Systena viridilimbata































































































































































