Leucaena
Guides
Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus
leucaena bruchine beetle, leucaena seed beetle
Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus is a seed-feeding beetle in the subfamily Bruchinae, native to the Neotropics and now widely distributed through human-mediated dispersal. The species is a specialist seed predator of Leucaena species, particularly the invasive weed Leucaena leucocephala, and has been introduced as a biological control agent in multiple regions. Adults are small beetles that oviposit on or near host seeds; larvae develop endophagously within seeds, passing through four distinct instars before emerging by cutting a circular exit window.
Calliprora
Calliprora is a genus of gelechiid moths in the subfamily Thiotrichinae, established by Meyrick in 1914. The genus contains approximately 12 described species, primarily Neotropical in distribution. One species, C. leucaenae, has been documented as a significant pest of Leucaena leucocephala in Florida, where larvae function as blotch-miners and leaf-tiers. The genus was transferred to Thiotrichinae based on distinctive genital morphology including anellus lobes and sternum VIII characteristics.
Mesophleps
Mesophleps is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae. The genus contains multiple species distributed across several continents. At least one species, Mesophleps adustipennis, has been documented feeding on Leucaena species (Fabaceae) in Honduras. The genus is taxonomically established with records from Europe and Central America.
Oncideres pustulata
Coastal Huisache Girdler
Oncideres pustulata is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1854. It is distributed across Mexico and the southern United States. The species is a twig girdler, with larvae that develop within girdled branches of host plants in the genera Leucaena and Prosopis. It is known to feed on Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena pulverulenta, Prosopis alba, and Prosopis chilensis.