Dry-beans
Guides
Striacosta albicosta
Western Bean Cutworm, Western Bean Cutworm Moth
Striacosta albicosta, the western bean cutworm, is a noctuid moth and sole member of its genus. Historically restricted to the western Great Plains of the United States, it has undergone substantial eastward range expansion since 2000, now occurring throughout the U.S. Corn Belt and into Canada and Mexico. It is a significant agricultural pest of corn and dry beans, with larvae feeding on reproductive structures and causing yield losses up to 40% in corn. The species has developed resistance to Cry1F Bt protein, complicating management in transgenic crops.