Corn Flea Beetle vs Goldsmith Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Corn Flea Beetle Goldsmith Beetle
Scientific Name Chaetocnema pulicaria Cotalpa lanigera
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Scarabaeidae
Size 1.5-2 mm 20-26mm
Habitat Farmland Orchards
Diet Herbivores Root Feeders
Regions North America 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.

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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.

Goldsmith Beetle

A beautiful golden-yellow scarab beetle with a metallic luster and fuzzy underside. It is attracted to lights on warm summer nights.

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Did You Know?

Its genus name Cotalpa means golden shield referring to its remarkably bright metallic golden coloration.