Corn Flea Beetle vs Caterpillar Tachinid
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Corn Flea Beetle | Caterpillar Tachinid |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Chaetocnema pulicaria | Lydella thompsoni |
| Order | Coleoptera | Diptera |
| Family | Chrysomelidae | Tachinidae |
| Size | 1.5-2 mm | 5-8 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Farmland |
| Diet | Herbivores | Parasites |
| Regions | North America | Europe, North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Corn Flea Beetle
A very small, shiny black to bronze flea beetle with a compact, oval body. It vectors Stewart's wilt bacterium, making it both a direct and indirect pest of sweet corn.
Did You Know?
The severity of Stewart's wilt in a given year can be predicted by winter temperatures, since cold winters reduce overwintering beetle populations.
Caterpillar Tachinid
A small gray parasitic fly that attacks European corn borer larvae. It was introduced to North America as a biological control agent.
Did You Know?
Females deposit live larvae rather than eggs directly onto the host caterpillar.