Rice leaf beetle - Rice leaf beetle

This insect belongs to the family Chrysomelidae in the order Coleoptera of the class Insecta. It is found in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, as well as eastern Siberia, China, Taiwan, and other areas. Its body length is around 6 millimeters. It is slender, with broad shoulders and long hind legs. Its color is brown, but its back has a greenish copper sheen, and the bases of its antennae are yellowish brown. Adults appear from the end of June, feed on plants such as water shield, and lay eggs on submerged leaves. The larvae are pests that live on rice roots, and breathe by inserting a claw-like projection at the end of their tail into the roots of the plant, taking in air from the plant. They also build their pupal cocoons underwater.

[Takehiko Nakane]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱甲虫目ハムシ科に属する昆虫。本州、四国、九州のほか東シベリア、中国、台湾などに分布する。体長6ミリメートル内外。細形で肩が張り、後肢が長い。褐色であるが、背面は緑を帯びた銅光沢があり、触角各節の根元は黄褐色。成虫は6月末から現れ、ジュンサイなどを食べ、水中の葉に産卵する。幼虫はイネの根につく害虫で、尾端の爪(つめ)状突起を差し込んで植物から空気を取り込んで呼吸する。蛹(さなぎ)の繭も水中につくる。

［中根猛彦］

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