Agricultural-pest-potential
Guides
Agriotes opaculus
Opaque Click Beetle
Agriotes opaculus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, native to western Canada. The species has been documented in Alberta and British Columbia. Larvae of related Agriotes species are known as wireworms and are agricultural pests, though specific pest status for A. opaculus has not been established. The species is distinguished from similar click beetles by its opaque, non-shiny elytra.
Amorbia concavana
Amorbia concavana is a tortricid moth species distributed from Panama through Mexico and Cuba, with recent establishment in southern Florida. Forewing length ranges from 7.5–8.6 mm. The larvae are polyphagous, feeding on multiple plant genera including Inga, Phaseolus, Mimosa, and Hammelia.
Apantesis phyllira
Phyllira Tiger Moth
Apantesis phyllira, commonly known as the Phyllira Tiger Moth, is a species of tiger moth in the family Erebidae. First described by Dru Drury in 1773, this moth was formerly classified under the genus Grammia but was transferred to Apantesis along with related species. It occurs across a broad range of North America from eastern Canada to the southern United States and west to the Great Plains. The species is listed as endangered in Connecticut, reflecting conservation concerns in parts of its range.
Calameuta
Calameuta is a genus of stem sawflies (family Cephidae) established by Friedrich Wilhelm Konow in 1896. The genus comprises approximately 14 described species distributed across Europe and North America. Members of this genus are associated with grasses and sedges, reflecting the family-wide ecological pattern of Cephidae. The genus is taxonomically stable and well-represented in entomological collections.
Capitophorus hippophaes
Polygonum Aphid
Capitophorus hippophaes is a species of aphid in the family Aphididae, first described by Francis Walker in 1852 as Aphis hippophaes. It exhibits a heteroecious life cycle, alternating between primary hosts in the genera Hippophae and Elaeagnus (family Elaeagnaceae) and secondary hosts in the genera Persicaria and Polygonum (Polygonaceae). Native to Europe, it has established populations across multiple continents including North America, Oceania, and Asia. The species is commonly known as the polygonum aphid.
Dasineura trifolii
clover leaf midge
Dasineura trifolii is a gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae, commonly known as the clover leaf midge. The species induces gall formation on clover plants (Trifolium spp.), with larvae developing within the leaf tissue. Like other Dasineura species, it exhibits the typical cecidomyiid life cycle involving complete metamorphosis with distinct egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages. The specific gall morphology and precise host range within the genus Trifolium require further documentation.
Dikraneurini
Dikraneurini is a diverse tribe of leafhoppers in the subfamily Typhlocybinae, containing 74 genera and 497 valid species worldwide. Members are small, slender, phloem-feeding insects typically 3.0–3.5 mm in length, often with white to yellowish coloration. The tribe is economically significant as it includes potential agricultural pests and belongs to the leafhopper family most associated with plant pathogen transmission. Dikrella mella, a member of this tribe, has been documented as a potential pest of avocado in Mexico.
Epicauta ventralis
Dark-spotted Blister Beetle
Epicauta ventralis is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Werner in 1945. It belongs to the large genus Epicauta, which contains numerous North American species that are often difficult to distinguish. Like other blister beetles, it produces cantharidin, a defensive chemical compound. The species has been documented in the western portions of North America.
Epicauta wheeleri
Orange-necked Blister Beetle, ethereal beef weevil
Epicauta wheeleri is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, found in southwestern North America. It exhibits striking iridescence in desert sunlight and has pronounced body segmentation that resembles weevils, leading to the colloquial name "ethereal beef weevil" in southern Utah and Nevada. Despite this resemblance, it is not a true weevil. The species is often observed in and around cattle pastures.
Eumarozia malachitana
Sculptured Moth
Eumarozia malachitana, commonly known as the sculptured moth, is a small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 11.5–16 mm. It is widely distributed across eastern North America, with records extending from Ontario and Maine south to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma. The species exhibits bivoltine adult activity, with flight periods in July and from September to October. Larvae are known to feed on a diverse range of host plants including woody species and some cultivated plants.
Euschistus inflatus
Euschistus inflatus is a Nearctic stink bug species in the family Pentatomidae. It was described by Van Duzee in 1903 and is found in North America. The species was examined in a 2022 taxonomic revision that formalized the ictericus group within Euschistus (Euschistus), where it was treated as similar and probably related to core group members but not formally included in the group. Host plants documented for this species include Rubus arizonensis, Verbascum thapsus, sugar beets, and green beans.
Eutrichota affinis
root-maggot fly
Eutrichota affinis is a species of root-maggot fly in the family Anthomyiidae. The larvae of this group are known as root maggots, developing in soil and feeding on plant roots. Adults are small to medium-sized flies with relatively nondescript morphology typical of anthomyiids. The species has been documented in the northeastern United States.
Eutrichota fuscipes
Root maggot fly
Eutrichota fuscipes is a species of root maggot fly in the family Anthomyiidae, described by Malloch in 1920. The genus Eutrichota belongs to a group of flies commonly associated with root-feeding larvae that can be agricultural pests. This species is part of a diverse family of calyptrate flies that are ecologically significant as decomposers and, in some cases, plant pests.
Euxoa cinnabarina
cutworm, dart moth
Euxoa cinnabarina is a species of cutworm moth in the family Noctuidae. It was first described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1918. The species is found in North America and is assigned the MONA/Hodges number 10797. As a member of the genus Euxoa, it belongs to a group of moths whose larvae are known as cutworms and can be agricultural pests.
Euxoa citricolor
Euxoa citricolor is a noctuid moth species described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1880. The species is found in western North America, with a wingspan of 34–37 mm. Adults are active from August to September, with one generation per year. Larvae are likely cutworms, though specific host plant associations for this species are not well documented.
Euxoa conjuncta
Euxoa conjuncta is a species of owlet moth in the family Noctuidae, described by Smith in 1890. It belongs to the genus Euxoa, which includes numerous cutworm species that are agricultural pests. The species is recorded from North America. Like other Euxoa species, it likely has a life cycle involving egg, larval (cutworm), pupal, and adult stages, with larvae that may damage crops by cutting stems at or below the soil surface.
Euxoa flavidens
cutworm moth, dart moth
Euxoa flavidens is a species of cutworm or dart moth in the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 10758.
Euxoa niveilinea
white-veined dart
Euxoa niveilinea is a species of dart moth in the family Noctuidae, commonly known as the white-veined dart. It is native to North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) and presumably the United States. Like other Euxoa species, it is a nocturnal moth whose larvae are cutworms—soil-dwelling caterpillars that feed on plant stems at or near ground level. The species is distinguished by white venation patterns on the wings, as suggested by its specific epithet (niveilinea = snow-white line).
Euxoa obeliscoides
obelisk dart, square-spot dart
Euxoa obeliscoides, commonly called the obelisk dart or square-spot dart, is a cutworm moth in the family Noctuidae. The species is found across North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) and the United States (Vermont). Like other Euxoa species, the larvae are cutworms that feed on plants, though specific host associations for this species are not well documented. Adults are attracted to light.
Euxoa velleripennis
Fleece-winged Dart
Euxoa velleripennis, commonly known as the fleece-winged dart, is a species of cutworm moth in the family Noctuidae. The species is distributed across North America, with records from Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan) and the United States (Vermont). Like other Euxoa species, the larvae are cutworms that feed on plant stems and can damage agricultural crops. The species is assigned Hodges number 10803 in the North American moth classification system.
Gonodonta nitidimacula
Gonodonta nitidimacula is a fruit-piercing moth in the family Erebidae, first described by Guenée in 1852. It is classified in the subfamily Calpinae, a group known for species that feed on fruit using specialized proboscises capable of piercing skin. The species has been documented in North America. Its MONA (Moth Photographers Group) number is 8542.3.
Hydririni
Hydririni is a tribe of moths in the subfamily Spilomelinae (family Crambidae) comprising approximately 104 species across eight genera. The tribe is primarily Neotropical in distribution, with most species described from tropical Central and South America. Adults range from narrow- to broad-winged, with wing patterns varying from inconspicuous brown and ochre to more colorful displays. Hydririni is characterized by distinctive genitalic synapomorphies: females possess an appendix bursae on the corpus bursae, and males typically exhibit hair scale patches on the anterior edge of abdominal sternite 8. The tribe forms part of the paraphyletic 'non-euspilomeline' group within Spilomelinae.
Lacanobia subjuncta
Speckled Cutworm Moth, Speckled Cutworm
Lacanobia subjuncta, commonly known as the speckled cutworm or speckled cutworm moth, is a noctuid moth species native to North America. It belongs to the genus Lacanobia, a group of cutworm moths within the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Grote and Robinson in 1868, originally placed in the genus Hadena. It is assigned MONA/Hodges number 10299.
Lachnopus
Lachnopus is a genus of broad-nosed weevils (Curculionidae: Entiminae: Geonemini) comprising 73 described species, making it the most diverse and widespread entimine weevil genus in the Caribbean Region. The genus was established by Schönherr in 1840 and has experienced unstable taxonomic placement, having been assigned to Cyphides, Barynotini, and currently Geonemini. Its validity as a distinct genus from Exophthalmus was confirmed by Franz (2012). Girón et al. (2018) recognized six species groups within the genus based on morphological phylogenetic analysis.
Lasioptera solani
gall midge
A small gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. Adults display distinctive black, gray, and white coloration. The genus Lasioptera is known for inducing galls on host plants, though specific details for this species remain limited. The species epithet 'solani' suggests an association with Solanaceae plants.
Loxomorpha flavidissimalis
Cactus Webworm
Loxomorpha flavidissimalis, commonly known as the Cactus Webworm, is a moth species in the family Crambidae. First described by Grote in 1878, it is distributed across the southern United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and has been introduced to Australia. The species is notable for its specialized association with Opuntia cacti, with larvae feeding internally on host tissues. It has potential economic significance as a pest of cultivated cactus crops.
Melanotus indistinctus
Melanotus indistinctus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, described by Quate in 1967. Like other members of the genus Melanotus, it is likely a soil-dwelling species with larvae that function as agricultural pests. The specific epithet "indistinctus" suggests it may be difficult to distinguish from related species. No iNaturalist observations are recorded for this species, indicating it is either rare, poorly surveyed, or taxonomically cryptic.
Mesophleps adustipennis
Soybean Webworm Moth
Mesophleps adustipennis, commonly known as the soybean webworm moth, is a small gelechiid moth with a broad distribution across the Americas. The species ranges from the southern and western United States through Central America, the Caribbean, and into South America as far as Brazil. Larvae are known to feed on several leguminous plants, including economically important species such as pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan).
Metadelphax
Metadelphax is a genus of delphacid planthoppers in the family Delphacidae, established by Wagner in 1963. The genus contains at least five described species, including M. propinqua, which has been studied for its biology and wing polymorphism. Members are small sap-feeding insects with characteristic delphacid morphology.
Osbornellus
Osbornellus is a genus of leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, containing at least 100 described species. The genus is divided into four subgenera, with the nominate subgenus Osbornellus (s. str.) distributed primarily in the Nearctic and Neotropical realms. Some species have been introduced to the Palearctic region through human activity, with the first European records documented in Switzerland in 2016. Species in this genus are generally small, active insects that feed on plant sap.
Patania silicalis
Herbivorous Patania Moth, Herbivorous Pleuroptya Moth
Patania silicalis is a small crambid moth with a wingspan of 24–26 mm, found across the Neotropics and into the eastern United States. First described by Guenée in 1854, it has undergone multiple generic reassignments and is also known under the synonym Pleuroptya silicalis. The species is notable for its broad host plant range, feeding on at least seven plant species across five families.
Philonthus jurgans
Philonthus jurgans is a rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, first described by Tottenham in 1937. The species has been documented across Europe, Russia, Turkey, and Japan, and has been introduced to North America where it occurs in Canada and the United States. It was recently recorded as a new and adventive species in the Republic of Moldova, found in a grapevine plantation. As a member of the genus Philonthus, it likely shares the predatory habits common to this group of rove beetles.
Phyllophaga curialis
May beetle, June beetle
Phyllophaga curialis is a species of scarab beetle in the genus Phyllophaga, commonly known as May beetles or June beetles. The species was described by Reinhard in 1939 and is known from Texas in the southern United States. Like other members of this large genus, the larvae are soil-dwelling root feeders while adults feed on foliage and flowers. The genus Phyllophaga contains over 400 species in North America, many of which are economically significant agricultural pests.
Phyllotreta robusta
garden flea beetle
Phyllotreta robusta, commonly known as the garden flea beetle, is a flea beetle species in the family Chrysomelidae. It is native to North America, with confirmed records from Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba. As a member of the genus Phyllotreta, it shares the characteristic jumping ability of flea beetles. The species has been documented through limited observations, with 7 records on iNaturalist.
Porphyrosela desmodiella
Tentiform Bean Leafminer
Porphyrosela desmodiella is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, with a wingspan of 4.5–5 mm. It is widely distributed across the eastern and central United States, southern Canada, and parts of the Caribbean and South America. The larvae are specialized leaf miners on leguminous plants (Fabaceae), creating distinctive mines on host foliage.
Psylliodes convexior
hop flea beetle
Psylliodes convexior, commonly known as the hop flea beetle, is a species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is native to North America and Central America. The species belongs to a genus known for flea-like jumping behavior and association with host plants. Specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published sources.
Pyrrhia cilisca
Bordered Sallow, American Bordered Sallow
Pyrrhia cilisca is a noctuid moth with a wingspan of 32–40 mm. Adults are active from May to October across eastern and central North America. The species was formerly split into North American (Pyrrhia adela) and Palearctic populations, but these are now synonymized.
Scaphytopius magdalensis
Blueberry Leafhopper
Scaphytopius magdalensis is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, commonly known as the Blueberry Leafhopper. It belongs to the large genus Scaphytopius, which contains numerous economically significant species associated with agricultural crops. The species has been recorded from multiple states in the eastern and southeastern United States.
Sennius
seed beetles, pea and bean weevils
Sennius is a New World genus of seed beetles (subfamily Bruchinae) within Chrysomelidae, containing at least 20 described species. Species are organized into multiple species groups, with the S. abbreviatus group being the largest and most thoroughly studied, comprising 14 species. The genus is characterized by distinctive male genitalia morphology, particularly patterns of sclerites and internal sac structure. Several species have been described from Mexico, Central America, and South America, with ongoing taxonomic revisions revealing new species and clarifying host plant relationships.
Sphenarches
Sphenarches is a genus of plume moths in the family Pterophoridae. Species are distributed across pantropical regions, with records from Japan and southern Canada. The genus includes at least eight described species, with Sphenarches anisodactylus being the most studied. Host plant associations have been documented for several species.
Sumitrosis ancoroides
Anchor Hispine
Sumitrosis ancoroides is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Cassidinae. Adults measure 2.9–3.7 mm and display distinctive black markings on the pronotum and elytra, including a characteristic anchor-shaped spot. The species feeds on leguminous plants including wild beans and soybean. It occurs across a broad range in North America from Canada to the southern United States.
Triclonella pergandeella
sweetclover root borer moth, Bush-clover triclonella
Triclonella pergandeella is a small moth with a wingspan of approximately 14 mm, found in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States. Adults are active from March through October. The larvae are root borers that feed on Lespedeza and Clitoria species, reaching about 12 mm in length with a distinctive yellow head.
Walshia miscecolorella
Sweet Clover Root Borer Moth, sweetclover root borer moth
Walshia miscecolorella is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae, commonly known as the sweet clover root borer moth. It was described by V.T. Chambers in 1875. The species is notable for its broad North American distribution and year-round adult activity. Larvae feed on roots and lower stems of various leguminous plants and other species.