Agricultural-pest
Guides
Marmara gulosa
Citrus Peelminer
Marmara gulosa is a small gracillariid moth, approximately 4 mm in length, commonly known as the citrus peelminer. Native to the United States where it originally fed on willow (Salix lasiolepis), the species has undergone a documented host-shift to non-native plants including citrus varieties and ornamentals such as oleander. It is known from California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida, as well as Cuba. The species is of economic concern as a pest of citrus, particularly grapefruit in southwestern growing regions. A distinct species from the similar Marmara salictella, it was formally described in 2001.
Maruca
bean pod borers
Maruca is a genus of moths in the family Crambidae, commonly known as bean pod borers. The genus includes economically significant agricultural pests, particularly Maruca vitrata (legume pod borer), which attacks a wide range of legume crops. Species in this genus are distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific. The larvae are specialized feeders on leguminous plants, causing damage to pods and seeds.
Maruca vitrata
legume pod borer, maruca pod borer, bean pod borer, soybean pod borer, mung moth, spotted pod borer
Maruca vitrata is a pantropical moth and major agricultural pest of leguminous crops, particularly affecting cowpea, pigeon pea, mung bean, and soybean. Larvae feed on flower buds, flowers, and young pods, causing yield losses of 20–80% in susceptible cowpea varieties. The species has low genetic differentiation across its range due to high gene flow, with populations in India showing evidence of recent demographic expansion. It serves as host for several parasitoid wasps (Braconidae, Ichneumonidae) and flies (Tachinidae) that provide biological control.
Matsumurasca
Matsumurasca is a genus of microleafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Typhlocybinae. The genus was established by Anufriev in 1973 and is currently treated as a subgenus of Empoasca by some authors. The most economically significant species is Matsumurasca onukii, the tea green leafhopper, a major pest of tea plantations throughout East Asia. Species in this genus are piercing-sucking herbivores associated with vascular plants. The genus occurs in both the Palearctic and Neotropical regions, with documented species in East Asia and Central America.
Mayetiola
Mayetiola is a genus of gall midges in the family Cecidomyiidae. The genus includes approximately 15 described species, with Mayetiola destructor (the Hessian fly) being the most economically significant. Most species in this genus are associated with cereal crops and grasses. Unlike many other cecidomyiids, M. destructor does not form galls. The genus exhibits a distinctive developmental feature: chromosome elimination during early embryogenesis, where germ-line nuclei retain the full chromosome complement while somatic nuclei eliminate approximately 32 chromosomes.
Mayetiola destructor
Hessian fly, barley midge
The Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) is a major pest of wheat and other cereal crops. Adults are small, mosquito-like flies with dark wings, black thorax, and dark red abdomen. Females deposit eggs in clusters on wheat leaf surfaces; larvae feed on stem tissue, causing stunting, lodging, and reduced grain yield. Unlike most Cecidomyiidae, this species does not form galls. Native to Asia, it has spread globally and was one of the earliest documented invasive species in North America, first reported in 1779.
Mecas
Mecas is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) in the tribe Saperdini, distributed in North America. Species in this genus are stem- and root-borers, with larvae developing internally within host plant tissues. Some species have been documented as pests of cultivated sunflowers, while others are associated with native Asteraceae and other plants. The genus contains approximately 18 described species across three subgenera.
Mecas cana
Mecas cana is a longhorn beetle species in the family Cerambycidae, described by Newman in 1840. The species is distributed across North America, including the United States and Mexico. Two subspecies are recognized: Mecas cana cana (the nominate subspecies) and Mecas cana saturnina (LeConte, 1859). Like other members of the genus Mecas, this species is associated with plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), where larvae bore into stems and roots.
Mecas pergrata
Mecas pergrata is a longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Thomas Say in 1824. Adults are 6–12 mm in length with gray pubescence. The species is a stem- and root-borer that exploits plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), including cultivated sunflowers. It is known from Mexico and the United States.
Megacopta
Megacopta is a genus of true bugs in the family Plataspidae, containing at least 25 described species distributed across Asia. The genus is best known for Megacopta cribraria, the kudzu bug, which became an invasive pest in North America after its accidental introduction to Georgia in 2009. Members of this genus are phytophagous, with many species associated with leguminous plants. Several Megacopta species possess obligate bacterial gut symbionts that are essential for normal development and are transmitted via symbiont capsules deposited on egg masses.
Megacopta cribraria
kudzu bug, bean plataspid, globular stink bug, lablab bug
Megacopta cribraria is a plataspid shield bug native to South and East Asia that has become a significant invasive pest in the southeastern United States since its discovery in Georgia in 2009. The species exhibits a specialized symbiotic relationship with gut bacteria, particularly Candidatus Ishikawella capsulata, which enables it to feed on leguminous plants. North American populations descend from Japanese lineages and possess microbiomes that facilitate soybean infestation, distinguishing them from some Asian populations. The bug is notable for its strong aggregation behavior, attraction to white surfaces, and defensive secretion that causes odor, skin irritation, and staining.
Megalurothrips
bean flower thrips, oriental bean thrips, Asian bean thrips
Megalurothrips is a genus of thrips in family Thripidae, established by Bagnall in 1915. The genus contains approximately 15 described species distributed across the Old World and Australia. The most economically significant species, Megalurothrips usitatus, is a major pest of leguminous crops, particularly cowpea, soybean, and common bean, causing damage to flowers and developing pods. Several species have been introduced beyond their native ranges, with M. usitatus recently detected in the Americas.
Melanaphis sacchari
Sugarcane Aphid, Sugarcane Aphid Complex
Melanaphis sacchari, commonly known as the sugarcane aphid, is a phloem-feeding aphid native to the Old World that has become a major agricultural pest of sorghum and sugarcane. First recorded feeding on sorghum in Texas in 2013, it rapidly spread across the southern United States, causing significant yield losses. The species reproduces primarily through parthenogenesis, with all individuals being female and giving birth to live young. Populations can double every 4 to 8 days under favorable conditions, making monitoring and timely intervention critical for management.
Melanchra picta
Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Melanchra picta is a noctuid moth commonly known as the zebra caterpillar moth. The species is native to North America and is best known for its larval stage, which feeds on various cultivated plants including cabbages and beets. The moth belongs to the family Noctuidae, one of the largest families of moths, and is classified within the subfamily Noctuinae.
Melanocallis
Melanocallis is a genus of aphids (Aphididae: Calaphidinae) established by Oestlund in 1923. The genus includes species associated with pecan (Carya illinoinensis) and related hickories. Melanocallis caryaefoliae, the black pecan aphid, is the best-known species and a documented pest of commercial pecan orchards.
Melanoplus
North American Spur-throated Grasshoppers
Melanoplus is a large genus of grasshoppers native to North America, containing some of the continent's most typical large grasshoppers and migratory locusts. The genus includes over 250 species, with new species frequently described from isolated areas where speciation by hybridization occurs. Several species are significant agricultural pests, most notably the extinct Rocky Mountain locust (M. spretus), which was the most destructive insect pest of the 19th-century Great Plains before its extinction in 1902. Members range from intricately patterned and colorful to drab in appearance, with body lengths varying from small to nearly 5 cm in the largest species.
Melanoplus bivittatus femoratus
Two-striped grasshopper
Melanoplus bivittatus femoratus is a subspecies of the two-striped grasshopper, a significant agricultural pest in North America. The species is one of the five most damaging grasshopper species in Texas and is considered the most injurious Melanoplus species in Colorado after M. sanguinipes. It is widely distributed across the United States and southern Canada, with populations that can increase dramatically during drought conditions.
Melanoplus devastator
devastating grasshopper
Melanoplus devastator, the devastating grasshopper, is a medium-sized spur-throated grasshopper endemic to the far western United States, primarily California, with limited occurrence in Oregon and Washington. It is a major agricultural pest known for irruptive population outbreaks that can cause extensive damage to rangeland forage, orchards, and crops. The species exhibits a unique life history among rangeland grasshoppers, with females entering reproductive diapause during summer and resuming egg development in fall triggered by decreasing photoperiod. When populations explode, nymphal bands and adult swarms migrate from depleted foothill rangelands into valley agricultural areas, sometimes traveling 30 miles or more.
Melanoplus femurrubrum
Red-legged Grasshopper, Garden grasshopper
Melanoplus femurrubrum, the red-legged grasshopper, is a medium-sized, widely distributed grasshopper native to North America. It ranges across most of Canada, the United States, and into central Mexico, making it one of the most common and broadly distributed grasshopper species on the continent. The species exhibits developmental polymorphism, allowing populations to adapt to variable environmental conditions and seasonal timing. It is frequently used as a model organism in scientific research due to its abundance and behavioral sensitivity to climate variation.
Melanoplus spretus
Rocky Mountain Locust
Melanoplus spretus, the Rocky Mountain Locust, was a species of locust that ranged through the western United States and parts of Canada until the late 19th century. It was one of the most destructive agricultural pests in North American history, forming swarms of unprecedented size—one 1875 swarm was estimated at 198,000 square miles. The species is now extinct, last observed in the early 1900s. It is considered by some authorities to represent a gregarious, migratory phase of Melanoplus sanguinipes rather than a distinct species.
Melanotus
click beetles (insect genus), dark-spored mushrooms (fungal genus)
Melanotus is a genus of click beetles (family Elateridae) comprising approximately 800 described species distributed worldwide. The genus includes several economically significant agricultural pests, particularly wireworm species whose larvae damage crop roots and tubers. Research has identified sex pheromones for some species, enabling development of monitoring and management tools. The genus name Melanotus is also applied to a fungal genus in Strophariaceae, but this record addresses the beetle genus.
Melanotus americanus
corn wireworm
Melanotus americanus is a click beetle (family Elateridae) commonly known as the corn wireworm, recognized as an agricultural pest of potatoes and other crops. The larval stage, referred to as wireworms, lives in soil and feeds on plant roots and tubers, causing significant damage to agricultural systems. The species has been recorded in Ontario, Canada, and is part of a genus containing multiple economically important wireworm species.
Melanotus clandestinus
Melanotus clandestinus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae. It is one of several Melanotus species known as corn wireworms, with larvae that develop in soil and feed on crop roots. The genus includes significant agricultural pests, though specific information on this particular species is limited in available sources.
Melanotus communis
corn wireworm
Melanotus communis is a click beetle species whose larvae, known as corn wireworms, are significant agricultural pests in North America. The species is currently treated as a species complex due to unresolved taxonomic boundaries with closely related forms. Larvae feed on germinating seeds and roots of corn, potatoes, and other crops, causing substantial economic damage. Research has focused on developing biological control methods using entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi, as well as pheromone-based monitoring systems.
Melanotus depressus
wireworm
Melanotus depressus is a wireworm species in the click beetle family Elateridae, first described by Melsheimer in 1844. The larval stage, known as wireworms, are soil-dwelling pests that feed on plant roots and tubers. Laboratory studies have examined their feeding behavior and growth under varying environmental conditions including temperature, photoperiod, and dietary regimes.
Melanotus dietrichi
Melanotus dietrichi is a species of click beetle (Elateridae) described by Quate in 1967. The genus Melanotus includes several economically significant wireworm species whose larvae are agricultural pests. M. dietrichi belongs to a group of soil-dwelling beetles where larval stages feed on plant roots and subterranean plant parts.
Melanotus hyslopi
Melanotus hyslopi is a click beetle species (family Elateridae) described by Van Zwaluwenburg in 1921. The species is recorded from Ontario and Québec, Canada. Like other members of the genus Melanotus, the larvae are wireworms—soil-dwelling pests of agricultural crops. The species is poorly known compared to its congener Melanotus communis, which has been studied extensively as a corn wireworm pest.
Melanotus insipiens
Melanotus insipiens is a small click beetle (Elateridae) native to the eastern United States. Its female-produced sex pheromone has been identified as decyl butanoate, enabling pheromone-based monitoring of this species. Adults are active above ground primarily in May and June, while immature stages are soil-dwelling. The species has been recorded as a pest of alsike clover and wheat in Georgia.
Melanotus leonardi
Melanotus leonardi is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The genus Melanotus contains multiple species of wireworms, the soil-dwelling larval forms that are agricultural pests. Larvae of related Melanotus species, including M. communis, are known as corn wireworms and damage crop roots and tubers. Adults possess the characteristic click mechanism of Elateridae, using a prosternal process and mesosternal socket to produce an audible snapping sound.
Melanotus longulus
Melanotus longulus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by LeConte in 1853. The species is part of the genus Melanotus, which includes several economically important wireworm species whose larvae damage agricultural crops. Two subspecies are recognized: M. l. longulus and M. l. oregonensis. Like other elaterids, adults possess the characteristic clicking mechanism for righting themselves when overturned.
Melanotus longulus longulus
Melanotus longulus longulus is a subspecies of click beetle in the family Elateridae. Like other members of the genus Melanotus, it belongs to a group commonly referred to as wireworms in their larval stage. The species is part of a complex of soil-dwelling beetles that are agricultural pests in North America. Limited specific information is available for this subspecies compared to the broader species complex.
Melanotus longulus oregonensis
Oregon Wireworm
Melanotus longulus oregonensis is a subspecies of click beetle in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the Oregon Wireworm. As a wireworm, it represents the larval stage of development that is of agricultural significance. The species was described by LeConte in 1853. Wireworms in the genus Melanotus are soil-dwelling pests whose larvae feed on plant roots and underground plant parts, causing damage to various crops.
Melanotus parallelus
Melanotus parallelus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The genus Melanotus contains numerous species of wireworms and click beetles, many of which are recognized as agricultural pests due to their soil-dwelling larval stages that feed on crop roots and tubers. This species is part of a taxonomically challenging genus where species identification often requires examination of fine morphological characters. Like other members of Elateridae, adults possess the distinctive clicking mechanism used to right themselves when overturned.
Melanotus prasinus
Melanotus prasinus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by Blatchley in 1910. The species belongs to the genus Melanotus, a group of soil-dwelling beetles whose larvae are commonly known as wireworms. As with other members of this genus, the larvae are likely subterranean and feed on plant roots, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented. The species has been recorded in Ontario, Canada.
Melanotus tenax
Melanotus tenax is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The genus Melanotus contains numerous species of wireworms, the soil-dwelling larval forms that are significant agricultural pests. Larvae feed on roots and tubers of crops, causing economic damage in agricultural systems. Adults are generally nocturnal and attracted to lights.
Melanotus verberans
click beetle
Melanotus verberans is a click beetle (family Elateridae) native to eastern North America. Adults are moderate-sized (9–12 mm), red-brown, and elongate. The larval stage consists of soil-dwelling wireworms that are significant agricultural pests, feeding on roots and tubers of various crops. Females produce a sex pheromone blend of 13-tetradecenyl acetate and 13-tetradecenyl hexanoate to attract males. Adult flight activity peaks from April through May.
Meloinae
blister beetles
Meloinae is a large subfamily of blister beetles (family Meloidae) containing at least 330 described species in multiple tribes distributed across the Holarctic, Neotropical, Afrotropical, and Oriental regions. The subfamily includes economically important genera such as Epicauta (crop pests), Meloe (oil beetles), and Lytta. Members exhibit diverse life histories, with some species being phytophagous adults and others showing complex larval associations with bees or grasshoppers. Sexual dimorphism and stereotyped courtship behaviors have been documented in multiple genera.
Melyridae
Soft-winged Flower Beetles, Soft-wing Flower Beetles
Melyridae is a family of beetles in the superfamily Cleroidea, containing over 100 genera worldwide with approximately 520 species in 48 genera in North America. Members are commonly found on flowers, with most adults and larvae being predaceous. The family includes three recognized subfamilies: Dasytinae, Malachiinae, and Melyrinae. Some species, notably in the genus Choresine, have been found to contain potent batrachotoxins, potentially serving as a dietary source for toxic birds and poison-dart frogs.
Mermessus
Decorated-fanged Linyphiids
Mermessus is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) comprising approximately 82 species as of 2025. The genus is notable for including Mermessus trilobatus, one of Europe's most invasive spider species, which has spread across the continent from North America since the late 1970s. Research on Mermessus fradeorum has established it as an emerging model system for studying heritable bacterial symbiont communities, as individuals can host up to five simultaneous symbionts including Rickettsiella, Wolbachia, and Tisiphia. Some species exhibit low habitat specificity, contributing to their invasion success in agricultural and semi-natural ecosystems.
Merodontini
Merodontini is a tribe of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) within the subfamily Eristalinae. The tribe includes genera such as Merodon, Eumerus, and Psilota. Larvae of Merodon and Eumerus tunnel into plant bulbs, while Psilota larvae have been found in sap runs. Some species, particularly Eumerus strigatus, are phytophagous and pose potential risks to agricultural crops such as onion (Allium cepa). The tribe has been recorded across multiple continents including the Palaearctic, Afrotropical, and Neotropical regions, with new species and distribution records continuing to be documented.
Mesapamea secalis
common rustic
Mesapamea secalis, the common rustic, is a noctuid moth found across Europe, north-west Africa, Turkey, and northern Iran. It was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 and was formerly treated as conspecific with Mesapamea didyma and M. remmi, all three now recognized as distinct species. Adults fly from July to August, with larvae feeding on grass stems.
Metamasius hemipterus
Silky Cane Weevil, West Indian Sugarcane Weevil, moleque-da-bananeira, broca-rajada
Metamasius hemipterus is a weevil species in the family Dryophthoridae, commonly known as the silky cane weevil or West Indian sugarcane weevil. It is a significant agricultural pest of sugarcane, banana, coconut, and ornamental palms. The species has been introduced to multiple regions beyond its native range and is now established across the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Larvae bore into plant stalks and stems, causing direct and indirect damage that reduces crop productivity. The species is known to use aggregation pheromones and is associated with the endosymbiont "Candidatus Nardonella dryophthoridicola".
Metcalfa pruinosa
Citrus Flatid Planthopper
Metcalfa pruinosa is a polyphagous planthopper native to North America that has become a significant invasive pest across Europe, Asia, and other regions. Adults measure 5.5–8 mm in length and are covered in a distinctive bluish-white waxy coating. The species produces one generation per year, with eggs overwintering in bark crevices. It feeds gregariously on plant sap, excreting honeydew that promotes sooty mold growth and causes direct damage to crops and ornamentals. First described by Thomas Say in 1830, it has spread to over 20 countries and is known to attack more than 300 plant species.
Meteorus rubens
Meteorus rubens is a gregarious larval parasitoid wasp in the family Braconidae that attacks significant agricultural pests, particularly the black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon). Female wasps demonstrate strong attraction to host kairomones, with 94.3% responding to hexane extracts of their host compared to only 22.3% of males. The species has been shown to carry Rioviridae RNA viruses, a rare trait among parasitoids. It naturally coexists with other parasitoids such as Apanteles ruficrus, with which it exhibits niche partitioning based on host instar preference.
Metopininae
Metopininae is the largest subfamily of scuttle flies (Phoridae), primarily due to the hyperdiverse genus Megaselia. Members exhibit broad ecological diversity, with larvae ranging from saprophagous decomposers to parasitoids of insects and other arthropods. The subfamily includes economically significant pests and is among the most frequently encountered phorid groups worldwide.
Metopolophium dirhodum
rose-grain aphid, rose-grass aphid
Metopolophium dirhodum is a globally distributed aphid species with a heteroecious life cycle alternating between rose (Rosa) as primary host and grasses, particularly cereal crops, as secondary hosts. It is a significant agricultural pest and vector of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), causing yield reductions in wheat, barley, oats, and rye. The species exhibits wing dimorphism with both apterous and alate morphs, and shows genetic variability in host plant adaptation among populations.
Metoponium
Metoponium is a genus of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) described by Thomas Lincoln Casey Jr. in 1907. The genus is endemic to North America and comprises two subgenera: Metoponiopsis and Metoponium. At least one species, Metoponium bicolor, has been documented damaging agricultural crops.
Metrioidea brunnea
Corn Silk Beetle
Metrioidea brunnea, commonly known as the corn silk beetle, is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is native to North America and feeds on corn silk and foliage. The species is recognized as a minor agricultural pest of maize. Limited detailed biological information is available for this species.
Microtechnites
garden fleahopper
Microtechnites is a genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae containing approximately six described species. The genus includes the garden fleahopper (M. bractatus), an economically significant agricultural pest with a broad host range spanning at least 17 plant families. Species in this genus are distributed across the Americas from Canada to Argentina. M. bractatus has been extensively studied for its developmental biology and host plant interactions.
Microtechnites bractatus
garden fleahopper
Microtechnites bractatus, commonly known as the garden fleahopper, is a polyphagous plant bug in the family Miridae. It is an agricultural pest with documented economic impact on multiple crop species. The species has been recorded across the Americas from Canada to South America and has been introduced to Hawaii. Laboratory studies demonstrate significant variation in developmental success across host plants, with Fabaceae species supporting optimal fitness.