Legume-pests
Guides
Bruchinae
Pea and Bean Weevils, Seed Beetles, Bean Weevils
Bruchinae is a subfamily of small beetles within Chrysomelidae, historically treated as a separate family (Bruchidae). Adults are typically 1.5–10 mm in length. Larvae develop entirely within seeds of legumes and other plants, completing their life cycle without leaving the host seed. The subfamily includes approximately 1,350 species worldwide. Many species are significant agricultural pests of stored legumes, with some introduced outside their native ranges through international trade.
Coreoidea
Leaf-footed Bugs and Allies
Coreoidea is a superfamily of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) within the infraorder Pentatomomorpha, encompassing more than 3,300 described species across five extant families. The group includes leaf-footed bugs (Coreidae), broad-headed bugs (Alydidae), scentless plant bugs (Rhopalidae), and the smaller families Hyocephalidae and Stenocephalidae. Members are predominantly phytophagous, with many species exhibiting enlarged hind leg structures. The superfamily's phylogenetic relationships with Lygaeoidea and Pyrrhocoroidea remain unresolved, with evidence suggesting potential paraphyly requiring taxonomic revision.
Kytorhinini
Kytorhinini is a tribe of seed beetles within the subfamily Bruchinae (Chrysomelidae), established by Bridwell in 1932. The tribe is distinguished by particular combinations of morphological characters in the male genitalia and other structural features. Members of this tribe are associated with leguminous host plants. The tribe remains relatively poorly studied compared to other bruchine groups, with limited published information on species diversity and biology.
Melanagromyza
Melanagromyza is a genus of leaf-miner flies in the family Agromyzidae, established by Hendel in 1920. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution and contains numerous species, many of which are significant agricultural pests. Several species, particularly Melanagromyza sojae (soybean stem fly) and Melanagromyza obtusa (pigeon pea fly), cause substantial economic damage to legume crops through larval mining of stems, roots, and petioles. The genus has been the focus of biological control research, with multiple parasitoid wasp species identified as potential natural enemies.