Turnip Flea Beetle vs South American Wattle Sawfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Turnip Flea Beetle South American Wattle Sawfly
Scientific Name Phyllotreta nemorum Arge pullata
Order Coleoptera Hymenoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Argidae
Size 3-4 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Seed Feeders Herbivores
Regions Europe Southern Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Turnip Flea Beetle

A small, shiny black beetle with a broad yellow longitudinal stripe on each elytron. It is a significant pest of turnips, swedes, and oilseed rape in Europe.

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Did You Know?

Spring populations can reach such high densities that entire fields of brassica seedlings can be destroyed within days of germination.

South American Wattle Sawfly

A shiny black argid sawfly that feeds on wattle (Acacia) trees. Larvae are green with dark dorsal markings and can cause significant defoliation.

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Did You Know?

This species is one of the relatively few argid sawflies found in Africa, where the family is less diverse than in other continents.