TYT.LThome / Insecta · vabzdžiai / Coleoptera · vabalai / Chrysomelidae · lapgraužiai / Lilioceris merdigera · svogūninis čiuželis

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Lilioceris merdigera · svogūninis čiuželis

  • onion beetle
  • Maiglöckchenhähnchen
  • svogūninis čiuželis
  • sīpolu lapgrauzis
  • poskrzypka leśna, poskrzypka cebulowa

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilioceris_merdigera

This species can be found in most Europe, China, Japan, and Taiwan. It has been introduced also in Brazil and Mexico. The larvae are typically covered by blackish mucilaginous substances mixed with their own faeces, which seem to have a protective function. The specific epithet merdigera derives from its habit, from Latin merda (dung) and gero (to carry). The adult beetles can produce chirping sounds through their stridulation apparatus on the anal segment.

Adults overwinter in the soil. They emerge in April and May and can be seen until September. After mating, the females lay their yellow to brownish eggs on the underside of leaves of the host plants in rows with about six eggs. Eggs hatch into larvae in one-two weeks. After a month the larvae pupate in the soil. In about 20 days the adults emerge.

Both the adults and the larvae feed on the leaves, buds, stems and flowers of several plants, mainly Liliaceae, Alliaceae and Asparagaceae species.