kitdanger's Identifications

Noticed a patch of chewed up alligator weed and discovered these little beetles! These are suspected to be beetles released in Georgia as an alligator weed biological control agent. SC Clemson Extension thinks it was too cold of a winter here for the ones they released to be still around. Interesting since we have been trying to control AW with saltwater.

This beetle was found on the leaf of a fern plant growing along the Hillsborough River. It was about 0.5 cm long and was black and yellow. This was identified as an Alligator Weed Flea Beetle because of the body shape, classic black head and characteristic black and yellow striped exoskeletal abdomen. This beetles habitat was a shaded fern growing under a cypress tree along the Hillsborough River. This beetle is actually native to Brazil and Argentina. It can also be sound in many parts of the US.

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/beetles/alligatorweed_flea_beetle.htm