Corn-rootworm
Guides
Diabrotica virgifera
Western corn rootworm, Mexican corn rootworm
Diabrotica virgifera is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, comprising two subspecies: D. v. virgifera (western corn rootworm) and D. v. zeae (Mexican corn rootworm). Both subspecies are significant agricultural pests of maize (Zea mays), with larvae feeding on corn roots and adults feeding on silks, pollen, and leaves. The species has been responsible for substantial economic damage to corn production, with estimates of $1 billion annually in yield losses and control costs in North America. The western corn rootworm has shown remarkable adaptive capacity, having evolved resistance to multiple management strategies including crop rotation and Bt toxins.
Diabrotica virgifera zeae
Mexican corn rootworm
Diabrotica virgifera zeae, the Mexican corn rootworm, is a subspecies of the western corn rootworm complex and a significant agricultural pest of corn (Zea mays) in Mexico and parts of the southern United States. Larvae feed on corn roots, causing damage that can lead to reduced yield, stunting, and plant lodging. Unlike the western corn rootworm subspecies (D. v. virgifera), the Mexican corn rootworm has been documented to damage corn following sorghum rotation in parts of South Central Texas, though this remains rare. Adults feed on corn silks, pollen, and leaves. The species has one generation per year, with eggs laid in soil during summer and fall, hatching the following spring when corn roots become available.