Smynthurodes betae

Westwood, 1849

Bean root aphid

Smynthurodes betae is a -forming in the . It is known as the bean root aphid and has been reported as a pest of millets. Research indicates that gall site selection is driven by phenological synchronization with plants rather than active preference for optimal sites.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Smynthurodes betae: /smaɪnˈθjʊəroʊdiːz ˈbiːtiː/

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Distribution

Recorded from Brazil (Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, São Paulo), Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the conterminous United States.

Life Cycle

Forms on leaves; gall distribution is determined by arrival timing relative to shoot growth rather than active site selection.

Behavior

site selection is not based on preference for optimal performance sites. Colonizers do not discriminate between shoots and congeneric non-host shoots. Synchronization between galler and host determines gall distribution.

Human Relevance

Reported as a pest of millets.

Sources and further reading