Thick-legged Flower Beetle vs African Cassava Leaf Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Thick-legged Flower Beetle African Cassava Leaf Beetle
Scientific Name Oedemera nobilis Mesoplatys ochroptera
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Oedemeridae Chrysomelidae
Size 8-12mm 4-6 mm
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Nectar Feeders Herbivores
Regions Europe Sub-Saharan Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Thick-legged Flower Beetle

A metallic green beetle with splayed elytra that expose the wings. Males have distinctively swollen hind femora.

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Did You Know?

Despite being an important pollinator this beetle is often mistaken for a green fly due to its shiny metallic color.

African Cassava Leaf Beetle

A small, yellowish-brown beetle that is a significant pest of cassava in sub-Saharan Africa. Both adults and larvae feed on young cassava leaves and shoots.

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Did You Know?

Cassava leaf beetles can cause severe defoliation of cassava, one of Africa's most important food security crops feeding over 500 million people.