Pollen beetle but pollen is a major part of its diet. Several members of the Nitidulidae are similarly referred to as pollen beetles. In particular, practically all the species in the genus "Meligethes" are called pollen beetles. Of these the most notorious is probably the one now accepted as being properly called "Meligethes aeneus"/"Brassicogethes aeneus". It is called the "Brassica pollen beetle", "Rape pollen beetle" and similar names, because it first became prominent as a pest of such crops in the first quarter of the 20th century. Many species in the family Oedemeridae are similarly called "pollen beetles". For example, the Southern
Ear (botany) wheat and rye by destroying the tissues and stems during growth. With the exception of North Africa and West Asia, the parasite has been eradicated in all countries by using the crop rotation system. Ear (botany) An ear is the grain-bearing tip part of the stem of a cereal plant, such as wheat or maize. It can also refer to "a prominent lobe in some leaves". The ear is a spike, consisting of a central stem on which tightly packed rows of flowers grow. These develop into fruits containing the edible seeds. In corn, it is protected by leaves called