Illimois Natural History Survey ~-)\- Identification Notes 1 
adult and is active for about the same period of the year as the 
corn flea beetle. It may be distinguished from the corn flea beetle 
by its yellowish instead of dark antenna, presence of a slight tooth 
near the anterior margin of the pronotum, and the larger and more 
widely separated pronotal, punctures, with the surface of the pronotum 
more shininge 
Systena blanda Melsh. Pale striped flea beetle. 
The pale striped flea beetle probably is most injurious to corn 
during the larval stage, but the adults have been recorded as having 
caused considerable damage (Forbes). It is widely distributed over 
the United States, and feeds on a variety of both wild and cultivated 
hosts. It is about twice the length of the corn flea beetle. 
Miscellaneous flea beetles 
Most of the genera or species included in the key rarely are found 
on corn but feed on various plants, other than grasses, morning glory 
and bindweeds, in or adjacent to cornfields. Some of these hosts are: 
Epitrix on the nightshade family (Solanaceae), Psylliodes and Phyllotreta 
on the mustard family (Cruciferae), Dibolia on plantain (Plantago), 
Glyptina on Phyla Janceclata in the verbena family, Longitarsus on 
several families of plants, and Crepidodera on Phyla and Acalypha in the 
verbena and spurge families, respectivelye 
Bibliography 
Forbes, S. Aw 1905. A monograph of insect injuries to Indian corn. 
e3rd5 Report of the State Entomologist on the Noxious and 
Beneficial Insects of the State of Illinois. 1-273. 
Elliott, Charlotte and F. Wo. Pooss 190, Seasonal development, insect 
vectors, and host range of bacterial wilt of sweet corn. Journ. 
Agre ReSe 60(10): 65-686. 
