Sumac flea beetle
The sumac flea beetle is a small cream-coloured beetle with reddish patterns. Its back legs have big, strong thighs, so it can jump far away from danger like a flea. It only ever eats sumac plants.
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Fun facts
Flea beetles like it can jump up to 100 times their own body length.
Its grey and yellow striped larvae cover themselves in their own poop. The poop shield holds chemicals from the sumac that keep ants and birds away.
The mother lays her eggs on sumac and covers them with poop too, to protect them.
In winter the beetles hide under leaves, dirt or weeds and wait for spring.
On hot summer days many beetles take a long rest and come out again when it gets cooler.
Most asked questions about Sumac flea beetle
?Why is it called a flea beetle?
Because it can jump very far, like a flea, thanks to its big back legs.
?What does the sumac flea beetle eat?
Only sumac plants, especially the leaves.
?How big is the sumac flea beetle?
About 6 millimetres long, the same as its larvae.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Blepharida rhois
- Group
- Beetles
- Family
- Chrysomelidae
- Classification
- Insecta > Coleoptera > Chrysomelidae
- Lives on
- North America
Where the facts come from
- Blepharida rhois (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Plcoffey. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. The sticker of this bug is drawn from this picture.
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