| Hycleus | |
|---|---|
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| Hycleus species in the phaleratus group | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Meloidae |
| Genus: | Hycleus Latreille, 1817 |
| Synonyms | |
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Hycleus is a genus of blister beetle belonging to the Meloidae family found in Africa and Asia. The genus contains over 400 species, which historically have been confused with the genus Mylabris . [1]
Adults feed mainly on flowers from a wide range of plant families. The first larval instar is an active triungulin form that is a predator of soft insects such as aphids. While the young are often beneficial to crops by suppressing other plant feeders, the adults can be a problem when present in large numbers. Flower feeding leads to lower yield and this can be a problem in some leguminous crops. They are however easily controlled by manual collection.
In northern Nigeria, heavy infestations of Hycleus terminatus , Hycleus fimbriatus , Hycleus hermanniae , and Hycleus chevrolati have affected early plantings of pearl millet crops. [2]
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