cucumber beetle

insect, Diabrotica genus
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Also known as: Diabrotica

cucumber beetle, any of several species of leaf beetles of the subfamily Galerucinae that are important pests. Cucumber beetles are greenish yellow in color, between 2.5 and 11 mm (up to 0.5 inch) long, and marked with black spots or stripes.

Taxonomy

See also list of beetles.

The striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) has two black stripes on each wing cover (elytron), and the spotted cucumber beetle (D. undecimpunctata) has black spots on each wing cover. They both feed on garden plants, and their larvae feed on the roots. The green-colored D. longicornis eats corn pollen and silk; the root-feeding larvae are known as corn rootworms.

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
Britannica Quiz
Animal Group Names
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.