Key to the Alabama Species of Phyllotreta
Phyllotreta zimmermanni (Crotch)
Phyllotreta striolata (Fabricius)
Phyllotreta liebecki Schaeffer*
Phyllotreta bipustulata (Fabricius)
Phyllotreta aeneicollis (Crotch)

1. Elytra with yellow markings ….. 2
    Elytra entirely black or metallic….. P. aeneicollis
2. Each elytron with 2 yellow spots….. 3
    Each elytron with yellow stripe….. 4
3. Apical spot large, oval, not apically curving mesad; 5th antennal segment of male same width      as 4th and 6th….. P. bipustulata
    Apical spot narrow, arcuate; 5th antennal segment of male wider than 4th or 6th ….. P.     striolata
4. Yellow stripe not reaching elytral margin ….. 5
    Yellow stripe reaching margin near apex ….. P. liebecki
5. Yellow stripe broad, curving mesad at base ….. P. striolata
    Yellow stripe narrow, basally straight on mesal side ….. P. zimmermanni

Phyllotreta zimmermanni (Crotch)

Orchestris zimmermanni Crotch, 1884, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 25: 66.
     Elongate oval. Shining black, elytra each with yellow vitta, laterally sinuate, but straight baso-medially. Antennae black, basal 4 segments brown; 5th segment of male longer than 3rd and 4th segments together, broadly oval (3/4 as wide as long). Head, pronotum, and elytra closely punctate, elytral punctures substriate. Length 2.5-2.8 mm. Width 1.2-1.4 mm.
     Alabama records: 110 specimens from Chambers¹, Lee¹, Limestone¹, Macon¹, Russell¹, Tallapoosa¹, and Winston¹ counties.
     Seasonal distribution: March 16-June 3.
     Remarks: This species, known as Zimmermann's flea beetle, was not recorded by Loding from Alabama. Its food plants, as listed by Chittenden (43) include Lepidium sp., cultivated cress, (Lepidium sativum), Arabis sp., radish (Raphanus sativus), turnip (Brassica sp.), cabbage (B. napobrassica), horseradish (Armoracia lapathifolia), and mustard (Brassica sp.). We have collected large series from Trifolium incarnatum.

Phyllotreta striolata (Fabricius)

Crioceris striolata Fabricius, 1803, Index Syst. El., p. 38.
Crioceris vittata Fabricius, 1801, Syst. Eleuth. I., p. 469.
Haltica sinuata Redtenbacher, 1849, Fauna Austriaca, p. 532.
Phyllotreta maculipennis discendens Weise, 1881, Naturgesch. Ins. Deutschl. Col. 6: 93.
Phyllotreta tenuelimbata monticola Weise, 1881, Naturgesch. Ins. Deutschl. Col. 6: 93 (abber.).
Phyllotreta vittata lineolata Chittenden, 1927, Entomol. Amer. 8: 9, 25 (abber.).
Phyllotreta vittata vernicosa Chittenden, 1927, 1. c. p. 25 (abber.).
Phyllotreta vittata artivittata Chittenden, 1927, 1. c. p. 26 (abber.).
     Elongate oval. Shining black, elytra marked with yellow. Antennae black, basal 3 segments yellow-brown, 5th segments of ales usually 1/3 longer than 4th, its width 1/4 its length. Head, pronotum and elytra closely punctate, elytral punctures substriate. Each elytron with yellow vitta, sinuate mesad basally; or with basal and subapical yellow spot, apical one curving mesad caudally. Length 2.1-2.5 mm. Width 1.1-1.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 21 specimens from Lee¹ and Mobile^1,2 counties.
     Seasonal distribution: April 10-September 11.
     Remarks: Loding recorded this species as P. vittata (Fabricius), a synonym of P. striolata. This, the cabbage flea beetle, has been taken by W. T. Seibels at Orchard, Mobile County, Alabama, on Chinese cabbage (Brassica napobrassica). Chittenden (43) in his study of the group, described 6 varieties of P. striolata. The spotted variety, mentioned in the above description, occurs frequently in the South. Geographical correlation of the various forms is difficult, since the species is supposedly introduced from Europe.

Phyllotreta liebecki Schaeffer*

Phyllotreta liebecki Schaeffer, 1919, Jour. N. Y. Entomol. Soc. 27: 339.
     Elongate oval. Shining black with sinuate yellow vitta on each elytron, vittae broadly attaining margni at apex. Head, pronotum, and elytra closely punctate. First 4 antennal segments light brown, 5-11 dark brown; male with 5th antennal segment stouter than striolata but less stout than in P. zimmermanni. Length 2.5 mm. Width 1.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 1 specimen from Mobile² County.
     Seasonal distribution: March 20.
     Remarks: A single specimen of this species was taken by Loding.

Phyllotreta bipustulata (Fabricius)

Crioceris bipustulata Fabricius, 1801, Syst. Eleuth. I., p. 464.
Phyllotreta bipustulata conjuncta Gentner, 1924, Entomol. News 35: 168 (var.).
     Elongate oval. Black, elytra each with basal and subapical yellow spot. Antennae black, basal 5 segments brown; 5th antennal segment of male, not enlarged. Medial margin of elytral subapical spots straight, spot not apically curving mesad. Length 2.5 mm. Width 1.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 1 specimen from Lee¹ County.
     Seasonal distribution: July 18.
     Remarks: Even though Loding (75) recorded this species from "over state," only a single Alabama specimen was seen.
     The authors believe that P. bipustulata may be another variety of P. striolata, even though the 5th antennal segments of males of P. bipustulata are not inflated. This character is of an inconsistent nature in P. striolata. Further study may indicate the conspecificity of these 2 forms.

Phyllotreta aeneicollis (Crotch)

Orchestris aeneicollis Crotch, 1873, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 25: 67.
     Elongate oval. Shining brassy black or metallic black-green. Antennae similar in both sexes; dark red-brown, apex of 1st and all of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th segments light red-brown. Head faintly punctate. Pronotum closely, coarsely punctate. Elytral punctures close and of 2 different sizes, disc more coarsely punctate than lateral and apical declivities. Length 2.3-2.5 mm. Width 1.1-1.2 mm.
     Alabama records: 4 specimens from Lee¹ County.
     Remarks: Previously this species was known from Texas, Colorado, South Dakota, and Louisiana (43). It is recorded here new from Alabama. Three of the beetles were collected by H. G. Barwood, May 14, 1964, by sweeping roadside vegetation; the 4th the senior author collected by sweeping in a field of Trifolium incarnatum April 9, 1964. Chittenden recorded "turnip (Brassica sp.), radish (Raphanus sativus), cabbage (Brassica napobrassica), mustard (Brassica sp.), Lepidium virginicum, and Coronopus didymus" as host for both larvae and adults.