Publilia brunnea

Appearance

General form of P. concava Say, is more decidedly vertical in front, and with the dorsal outline scarcely depressed before the middle; apex of the pronotum more slender and acute.

Color pale yellow; head and fore part of pronotum clouded with pale brown; a spot above the humeri, a broad oblique band behind the middle, and a broad cloud on the apex grayish-brown; the dorsal edge irregularly spotted with dark brown, and the oblique band surmounted by a large brown spot.

The surface closely beset with series of coarse sunken punctures; the longitudinal and reticulated surface-lines obsolete. Humeral margin of the sinus waved. Under side piceo-testaceous; the front, clypeus, pectus, and venter, excepting the edges of the segments, black-piceous. Legs dull yellow, closely pubescent, clouded, and spotted with brown. Length 4 to 4.5 mm. Breadth of pronotum 2 mm.

Naming

Publilia brunnea
Publilia modesta var. brunnea Ball
Publilia modesta Uhler
Pubilia [sic] modesta Uhler, 1876
Publilia modesta, Funkhouser, 1927
Publilia modesta, Metcalf and Wade, 1965

Distribution

Publilia modesta (Publilia brunnea) has not been recorded from Missouri. Its occurrence in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas indicate its presence in Missouri as probable. Also Wisconsin.

Habitat

Open grassy areas such as prairies.

Reproduction

Little is known of the life history of this species other than host plant records.

Food

Sap of Aster lanceolatus, A. ericoides, A. laevis, A. lanceolatus, A. pilosus, A. novae-angliae, Cirsium vulgare, Liatris aspera, Ratibida pinnata, Solidago canadensis, Helianthus grosseserratus, H. occidentalis, Solidago canadensis, S. gigantea, S. rigida, Iva sp., Artemisia sp., Viguiera longifolia, Glycyrrhiza lepidota, chrysanthemum, mesquite and white clover.