Flea Beetle

Description:

A small 2 to 3mm long beetle with shiny copper-bronze elytra with fine longitudinal ridges. The beetle has slightly prominent eyes and multi-segmented antennae. The femora in the hind legs were very thick

Habitat:

There were many of these little beetles spotted on our Kangaroo Apple plant (Solanum aviculare). They are still around but fewer in number.

Notes:

These beetles walk around the leaves and can fly but they can also jump using their hind legs with the thick femora. Although most of these flea beetles appear to be specific to the vegetation they live on, some feed on several different types of plants. It is difficult for me to ID this particular flea beetle but I will keep searching..... Flea beetles have been successfully used as crop pest control in several countries across the globe.