
	Description
	Sumac flea beetle flea beetle is the only species in its genus. At ¼″ to 5 ⁄16″ long and ⅛″ to 3 ⁄16″ wide, it is one of the largest flea beetles. The body is broad and convex. The head and thorax are yellow. The covering of the first section of the thorax (pronotum) is yellow. It does not have a furrow or lateral depressions. The wing covers (elytra) are reddish-brown, mottled with white or yellowish-white, and have punctures arranged in rows. The third leg segment (femur) is greatly enlarged and has an internal spring mechanism that allows the insect to jump. The last part of each leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has five segments but the fourth segment is minute, making it appear that there are only four segments. The larvae are dull greenish-yellow and about ½″ long. They retain a large, viscous mound of fecal matter (fecal shield) on their backs as a defense against predators. They feed on sumac leaves leaving a shothole pattern, small holes that appear like the pattern of fine birdshot.

	Size
	Total length: ¼″ to 5 ⁄16″

	Similar Species


	Habitat



	Biology
	Season
	Late spring and early summer

	Behavior


	Life Cycle
	Adults overwinter in soil or plant material.

	Larva Food
	Leaves of smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) and staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina).

	Adult Food
	Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) and staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina).


	Taxonomy
	Order	Coleoptera (beetles)
	Suborder	Polyphaga (water, rove, scarab, long-horned, leaf, and snout beetles)
	Infraorder	Cucujiformia
	Superfamily	Chrysomeloidea (leaf beetles and allies)
	Family	Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles)
	Subfamily	Galerucinae (skeletonizing leaf and flea beetles)
	Tribe	Alticini (flea beetles)
	Subtribe	Blepharidina
	Genus	Blepharida

	Synonyms
	Chrysomela rhois Chrysomela stalida Chrysomela meticulosa Blepharida atripennis Blepharida dorothea

	Common Names
	jumping sumac-beetle sumac flea beetle

Glossary

Elytra

The hardened or leathery forewings of beetles used to protect the fragile hindwings, which are used for flying. Singular: elytron.

Femur

In insects, the largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. In humans, the thigh bone.

Pronotum

The exoskeletal plate on the upper side of the first segment of the thorax of an insect.


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	Nina Arnsdorff

	Found them eating my purple smoke bush and golden smoke bush. I’ve had these bushes 15 yrs and this is the first year I’ve noticed these beetles.






	Ed Frickson

	My daughter took this photo today, May 6th on a twig of an apple tree. It took us a little while to find out what type of beetle this was - as a lifelong Minnesota resident I have not seen this beetle before. I thought it was a very clear photo that shows off the nice coloration/pattern.


	Ordisw

	Just the worms right now.




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Nina Arnsdorff 8/8/2023	Location: Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Found them eating my purple smoke bush and golden smoke bush. I’ve had these bushes 15 yrs and this is the first year I’ve noticed these beetles.



Ed Frickson 5/6/2020	Location: near Lindstrom Minnesota My daughter took this photo today, May 6th on a twig of an apple tree. It took us a little while to find out what type of beetle this was - as a lifelong Minnesota resident I have not seen this beetle before. I thought it was a very clear photo that shows off the nice coloration/pattern.



Ordisw 8/30/2018	Location: 55417 I have them on my Smoke tree. Just the worms and copious amounts of poop.



Sophie and Nicole 9/12/2014	Location: Behind Wayzata east middle school It had green eyes and a red head



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sumac flea beetle