Peanut-pest
Guides
Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi
Eastern Spotted Cucumber Beetle, Southern Corn Rootworm
Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi, the eastern subspecies of the spotted cucumber beetle, is a polyphagous agricultural pest native to North America. It is distinguished from the western subspecies (D. u. undecimpunctata) by geographic range, occurring east of the Rocky Mountains. The species completes one to three generations annually depending on latitude, with adults overwintering in mild climates and spreading northward seasonally. Both larval and adult stages cause economically significant damage to multiple crops.
Monocrepidius scissus
Peanut wireworm
Monocrepidius scissus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, commonly known as the peanut wireworm. The common name reflects its larval form's association with peanut cultivation, where wireworm larvae can cause damage to developing crops. Adults are beetles with the characteristic body form of click beetles, capable of the jumping mechanism that gives the family its common name. The species has been documented across multiple observations, suggesting established populations in agricultural regions.
Pangaeus
burrower bugs
Pangaeus is a genus of burrower bugs in the family Cydnidae (Hemiptera), comprising approximately 14 described species. Members are fossorial insects adapted for subterranean life, with species distributed across the Americas. The genus includes significant agricultural pests, most notably P. bilineatus, which damages peanut crops in the southeastern United States. Species exhibit morphological adaptations for burrowing, including stout, spiny forelegs.
Pangaeus bilineatus
peanut burrower bug, Two-lined Burrowing Bug
Pangaeus bilineatus, commonly known as the peanut burrower bug, is a soil-dwelling true bug in the family Cydnidae. It is a major agricultural pest of peanut crops in the southeastern United States, where it causes significant economic damage by feeding underground on developing peanut kernels. The species exhibits a single generation per year in most regions, with adults entering diapause in soil during winter months. Its subterranean lifestyle renders conventional foliar pesticide applications ineffective, necessitating specialized integrated pest management approaches.
Stegasta
rednecked peanutworm moths
Stegasta is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae, established by Edward Meyrick in 1904. The genus contains approximately 15 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The best-known species, Stegasta bosqueella (rednecked peanutworm), is a significant agricultural pest of peanut crops in South and Central America. Larvae of this species feed within closed leaflets, causing characteristic symmetrical damage patterns. Other species in the genus appear to be associated with various host plants, though detailed biology remains poorly documented for most.
Stegasta
Stegasta is a genus of small moths in the family Gelechiidae. The genus includes economically significant agricultural pests, notably the rednecked peanutworm (Stegasta bosqueella), which is the primary lepidopteran pest of peanut crops in South and Central America. Species in this genus are characterized by their small size and association with leguminous host plants.
Stegasta capitella
Teaweed Moth
Stegasta capitella, commonly known as the teaweed moth, is a small gelechiid moth described by Fabricius in 1794. The species occurs in the West Indies and southeastern United States, with confirmed records from Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Adults are active from February through August, with additional activity in October and December in Florida. The larvae feed on peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and Sida spinosa.