Water Spinach Flea Beetle vs Migratory Locust

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Water Spinach Flea Beetle Migratory Locust
Scientific Name Chaetocnema basalis Locusta migratoria
Order Coleoptera Orthoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Acrididae
Size 1.5-2 mm 35-55 mm
Habitat Wetlands Wetlands
Diet Seed Feeders Herbivores
Regions South and Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Water Spinach Flea Beetle

A tiny, shiny dark bronze to black flea beetle that is a significant pest of rice seedlings and water spinach across tropical Asia. Its shot-hole feeding weakens young plants.

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Did You Know?

Despite its minute size, this beetle can cause devastating damage to rice nurseries when it attacks seedlings at the one-leaf stage.

Migratory Locust

The most widespread locust species in the world, found across Africa, Asia, and Oceania. It exhibits dramatic phase polyphenism between solitary and gregarious forms.

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Did You Know?

Solitary and gregarious phase migratory locusts differ so dramatically in color, shape, and behavior that they were once classified as separate species.