Alfalfa-pest

Guides

Adelphocoris
plant bugs
Adelphocoris is a genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae, tribe Mirini. Multiple species are significant agricultural pests, particularly in Chinese cotton production following widespread Bt cotton adoption. The genus includes at least three economically important species—A. suturalis, A. lineolatus, and A. fasciaticollis—that exhibit distinct geographic distributions, seasonal dynamics, and host plant associations. Species within this genus show complex life histories involving migratory behavior, diapause, and multi-generational development on diverse host plants.
Miridae agricultural-pest cotton-pest alfalfa-pest migratory phytophagous China North-America diapause host-switching
Adelphocoris lineolatus
Lucerne bug, alfalfa plant bug
Adelphocoris lineolatus is a mirid bug native to the Old World that has become a significant agricultural pest following its introduction to North America in 1917. It primarily damages alfalfa and other legume crops through feeding on reproductive and vegetative structures. The species exhibits migratory behavior that facilitates rapid population dispersal and range expansion. In northern regions, it typically follows a univoltine life cycle with overwintering eggs, while southern populations may show partial second generation development.
agricultural-pest mirid alfalfa-pest introduced-species plant-bug univoltine migratory pheromone insecticide-resistance
Epicauta
Burning Blister Beetles
Epicauta is a large genus of blister beetles (family Meloidae) comprising approximately 360 described species. The genus exhibits a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, with native species on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Adult Epicauta feed on plant foliage and flowers, while larvae are predatory specialists on grasshopper eggs. The genus is notable for producing cantharidin, a toxic terpenoid compound that serves as a chemical defense and can be lethal to vertebrates if ingested in sufficient quantities. Many species are significant agricultural pests, particularly of alfalfa and other forage crops, with documented cases of crop failure and livestock mortality from contaminated hay.
blister-beetle cantharidin agricultural-pest grasshopper-egg-predator hypermetamorphosis livestock-toxicity Müllerian-mimicry alfalfa-pest traditional-medicine anti-cancer-compound North-American-diversity Arizona-biodiversity invasive-potential hay-contamination equine-toxicity
Epicauta fabricii
ashgray blister beetle
Epicauta fabricii, commonly known as the ashgray blister beetle, is a North American blister beetle in the family Meloidae. Adults feed on foliage of leguminous plants including honeylocust, black locust, alfalfa, sweet clover, wild indigo, soybean, and locoweed. Larvae are predatory, feeding on grasshopper eggs. The species belongs to the subgenus Macrobasis.
blister-beetle Meloidae Macrobasis grasshopper-egg-predator legume-feeder cantharidin agricultural-pest North-America alfalfa-pest livestock-toxicity-risk
Epicauta vittata
striped blister beetle, old-fashioned potato beetle
Epicauta vittata is a blister beetle native to eastern North America, known for its distinctive black and yellow striped coloration and its status as a significant agricultural pest. Adults feed voraciously on a wide range of crop plants, particularly solanaceous species, and are capable of forming dense aggregations that move en masse through fields. The species contains cantharidin, a toxic terpenoid that poses serious health risks to livestock, particularly horses, when beetles are accidentally consumed in hay. The complex life cycle includes a mobile triungulin larval stage that parasitizes grasshopper egg cases before becoming a sedentary grub.
agricultural-pest toxic cantharidin livestock-poison parasitoid grasshopper-egg-predator alfalfa-pest solanaceae-feeder
Erynnis funeralis
Funereal Duskywing
Erynnis funeralis, commonly known as the funereal duskywing, is a medium-sized skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It ranges from the southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America to South America. The species is distinguished from similar duskywings by its narrow forewing with a white fringe on the hindwing. Adults are active from February to October, with larvae feeding on various leguminous plants.
skipper duskywing legume-feeder desert-butterfly alfalfa-pest
Lygus elisus
pale legume bug, lucerne plant bug
Lygus elisus is a plant bug species in the family Miridae, commonly known as the pale legume bug or lucerne plant bug. It is a significant agricultural pest of forage, fiber, and fruit crops, particularly alfalfa, cotton, and strawberries. The species is distributed across western North America from Alaska to northern Mexico, with established populations also reported in Oceania. Adults and nymphs feed on developing plant tissues using piercing-sucking mouthparts, causing economic damage including cat-faced berries in strawberry production. Female-produced sex pheromones have been identified and developed for monitoring and potential management applications.
agricultural-pest plant-bug pheromone integrated-pest-management strawberry-pest cotton-pest alfalfa-pest western-North-America
Lygus hesperus
Western Tarnished Plant Bug
Lygus hesperus is a significant agricultural pest in western North America, causing extensive damage to cotton, strawberries, alfalfa seed, and other crops. In California alone, annual losses exceed $30 million in cotton and $40 million in strawberries. Adults overwinter in reproductive diapause triggered by short day lengths, resuming activity when conditions improve. The species has been the subject of extensive research on sampling methods, biological control, and insecticide resistance.
agricultural-pest plant-bug Miridae cotton-pest strawberry-pest alfalfa-pest western-North-America diapause biological-control integrated-pest-management insecticide-resistance mark-release-recapture salivary-enzymes extraoral-digestion Peristenus-relictus Hippodamia-convergens drone-sampling fluorescent-marking SmartWater vector Pantoea-ananatis Serratia potassium-chloride deterrent artificial-diet lentil seed-crops California Texas Arizona Nevada Washington Mexico polyphagous phytophagous stylet-probing scutellum nymph-spots economic-entomology organic-agriculture ecosystem-services bird-predation molecular-gut-analysis ELISA immunomarking parasitoid population-suppression crop-protection sampling-protocols sweep-net drop-cloth Y-tube-olfactometer gustatory-deterrent visual-cues volatile-cues reproductive-diapause postdiapause oogenesis oviposition longevity body-mass life-history mass-spectrometry salivary-proteins polygalacturonase α-amylase protease laccase glucose-dehydrogenase xanthine-dehydrogenase plant-defense host-pathogen-interaction iDrone-Bee UAV unmanned-aerial-vehicle open-source field-scouting IPM economic-threshold Bt-cotton natural-enemy conservation-biological-control landscape-ecology habitat-management weed-management border-sprays spot-treatment selective-insecticide neonicotinoid pyrethroid resistance-management sustainable-agriculture food-security economic-impact simulation-model population-dynamics immigration parasitism averted-loss value-loss cost-benefit research-methodology insect-marking dispersal fluorophore autofluorescence survivorship mortality mark-transfer crowding olfactometer feeding-behavior no-choice-assay choice-assay gustation host-selection plant-quality succulent-growth fruiting-structures square boll bloom terminal defoliation stand-loss dirty-bloom puckered-petals lesion carpel-wall lint-damage seed-damage yield-loss fiber-quality management-threshold scouting-interval action-threshold treatment-timing 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Lygus keltoni
Lygus keltoni is a plant bug species in the family Miridae, recently distinguished from L. shulli. It is a documented pest of canola and alfalfa in western Canada, with laboratory studies confirming its life history parameters. The species occurs across North America from Canada through the western United States to Mexico.
agricultural-pest plant-bug canola-pest alfalfa-pest western-Canada
Macrosiphum creelii
Western Vetch Aphid
Macrosiphum creelii is an aphid species in the family Aphididae, first described by Davis in 1914. It is commonly known as the Western Vetch Aphid and is associated with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) as a primary host plant. The species has been studied for its temperature-dependent survival and reproduction patterns.
aphid alfalfa-pest agricultural-entomology Macrosiphum temperature-dependent-development
Meloidae
Blister Beetles
Meloidae, commonly known as blister beetles, is a family of approximately 7,500 species worldwide within the order Coleoptera. Members are characterized by their production of cantharidin, a toxic terpenoid compound that serves as a potent chemical defense against predators. The family exhibits remarkable diversity in adult morphology, with some species displaying aposematic coloration while others are cryptically colored. Life histories are complex, typically involving hypermetamorphosis with mobile triungulin larvae that often parasitize grasshopper eggs or bee nests. Adults are primarily herbivorous, with many species feeding on flowers and foliage of various plants.
hypermetamorphosis triungulin cantharidin aposematism Müllerian-mimicry livestock-poisoning alfalfa-pest flower-feeding grasshopper-egg-parasitoid bee-nest-parasite chemical-defense traditional-medicine anti-cancer-compound spermatophore-transfer size-assortative-mating
Plebejus melissa
Melissa Blue
The Melissa Blue (Plebejus melissa) is a small butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, native to western North America. This species has been extensively studied for its colonization of alfalfa as a novel host plant, representing a well-documented case of host range expansion. The Karner blue (P. m. samuelis), described by Vladimir Nabokov, is a federally endangered subspecies restricted to oak savanna and pine barren habitats in the upper Midwest.
butterfly lycaenid blue-butterfly North-America alfalfa-pest endangered-subspecies Karner-blue mutualism host-shift agricultural-colonist
Tegrodera latecincta
Soldier Blister Beetle, Iron Cross Blister Beetle
Tegrodera latecincta is a large, colorful blister beetle endemic to the Owens and Antelope valleys of eastern California. As the northernmost species in the genus Tegrodera, it is geographically isolated from its closest relative T. erosa by the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, and from T. aloga by the Mojave Desert. Adults are active in late spring and early summer, often forming conspicuous feeding and mating aggregations. Like other meloid beetles, it possesses cantharidin in its hemolymph for chemical defense.
blister-beetle Meloidae California-endemic cantharidin aggregation-behavior alfalfa-pest