flea beetle
|
noun
any leaf beetle of the genera Haltica, Epitrix, etc., the various species of which have the rear legs adapted for jumping.
RELATED CONTENT
What Is The Difference Between A Bug And An Insect?We tend to use the word bug loosely for any very small creature with legs. However, a true bug is defined as belonging to the order Hemiptera. These creatures characteristically have tough forewings and lack teeth, such as beetles. True bugs have a stylet (a mouth shaped like a straw) that they use to suck juices from plants. Insects belong to the class Insecta and they are characterized by three-part bodies, usually two pairs of wings, and …
Nearby words
flaysome, fld, fld., fldxt, flea, flea beetle, flea collar, flea in one's ear, a, flea market, flea-bitten, flea-flicker
Origin of flea beetle
First recorded in 1835–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for flea beetle
The flea-beetle inflicts much damage on the potato, tomato, eggplant, and other garden plants.
Agriculture for Beginners|Charles William Burkett
British Dictionary definitions for flea beetle
flea beetle
noun
any small common beetle of the genera Phyllotreta, Chalcoides, etc, having enlarged hind legs and capable of jumping: family Chrysomelidae . The larvae of many species are very destructive to turnips and other cruciferous vegetables
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012