Spotted cucumber beetle vs Striped cucumber beetle
These two are easy to mix up. Here's how to tell a spotted cucumber beetle from a striped cucumber beetle, and whether either one bites or stings.
Spotted cucumber beetle
Diabrotica undecimpunctata
Striped cucumber beetle
Acalymma vittatum
≠The key differences
Striped cucumber beetle has yellow elytra with three black longitudinal stripes rather than round spots.
Spotted cucumber beetle has yellow elytra with black spots (usually 11) rather than continuous stripes; pronotum is yellow or with a dark central spot.
⚖︎Side by side
| Spotted cucumber beetle | Striped cucumber beetle | |
|---|---|---|
| To humans | Non-toxic | Non-toxic |
| Size | 4-7 mm long | 4.5-7 mm long |
| Colours | Yellow-green, Black, Brown | Yellow-orange, Black, Cream (larva) |
| Family | Chrysomelidae | Chrysomelidae |
| Habitat | Cultivated fields, gardens, edges of woodlands, weedy areas and other places with host plants (especially cucurbits). | Vegetable gardens, farms and wild areas where cucurbits grow; adults on leaves, flowers and fruit; larvae in soil on roots |
| Range | Widespread in North America (United States, southern Canada, Mexico); exact range and relative abundance differ by subspecies and region. | Eastern and central North America (native and widespread where cucurbits are grown) |
| Active | Spring through late summer (seasonal); diurnal (active during the day). | Spring to fall in temperate zones; most abundant in warm months and during cucurbit flowering and fruiting |
| Pest? | Yes | Yes |
🔍How to spot a spotted cucumber beetle
- Yellow to yellow-green oval beetle 4-7 mm long with 11-12 distinct black spots on the elytra.
- Diurnal and commonly found on flowers and foliage of cucurbits and other host plants.
- Larvae are small, slender, whitish worm-like grubs found in soil feeding on roots near affected plants.
🔍How to spot a striped cucumber beetle
- Three distinct black longitudinal stripes on a yellow-orange elytra (wing covers).
- Small size: roughly 4.5-7 mm long with a black head and a yellow pronotum.
- Found on cucurbit leaves, flowers or young fruit during warm months.
?Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a spotted cucumber beetle and a striped cucumber beetle?
Striped cucumber beetle has yellow elytra with three black longitudinal stripes rather than round spots. Spotted cucumber beetle has yellow elytra with black spots (usually 11) rather than continuous stripes; pronotum is yellow or with a dark central spot.
Is a spotted cucumber beetle or a striped cucumber beetle more dangerous?
Spotted cucumber beetle: Non-toxic. Striped cucumber beetle: Non-toxic. Not dangerous to people. Striped cucumber beetles do not pose a bite or sting risk to people and are not venomous.
Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.