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Family: Chrysomelidae Genus: Paropsisterna (Chrysophtharta )
About 2.5 to 3mm long, these little larvae with black heads and rear ends were found beside their egg cases on a leaf of a young eucalyptus tree. They were newly hatched - the 1st instar. The larvae had pale bands just posterior to their heads and three black dots on each side of the thoracic segments. Black dots were also seen along the side of the abdominal segments. The larvae had three pairs of thoracic prolegs
Young eucalyptus tree (? species)
Chrysomelid beetle larvae are said to eat their egg cases soon after hatching (there is some suggestion of this in the photos) They then start feeding on young eucalyptus leaf shoots. The larvae have four instars. When ready to pupate they drop to the ground, burrow into the soil where they pupate. These were spotted on the same tree as the larger Paropsis leaf beetle.
Spotted on Oct 13, 2012
Submitted on Oct 13, 2012
2 Comments
Thanks for the comment and observation Martin. I was not sure what species these larvae belonged to. I did not see any adults from this genus on the tree, just Paropsis atomaria and it's eggs. I knew that these larvae did not belong to P.atomaria.
Mark's larvae were from a tree with tons of green Paropsisterna beetles.
these larvae look similar to Mark's spotting.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/154...
however, the eggs seem different. They are all in one line, spaced and anchored at the tip. These are possible, being linear, although a rarer species. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/830...
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/826...