Soil-pupation
Guides
Chaetopsis massyla
corn silk fly, picture-winged fly
Chaetopsis massyla is a picture-winged fly (Diptera: Ulidiidae) and major agricultural pest of fresh market sweet corn in tropical and semitropical regions. Larvae develop within corn ears, feeding on developing kernels beneath protective husks, causing direct damage and secondary fungal contamination that renders cobs unmarketable. Mature larvae exit cobs and pupate in soil at depths influenced by substrate type and moisture. The species is native to the Americas, with established populations in Florida and documented occurrence in Mexico and Argentina.
Chloridea virescens
Tobacco Budworm Moth, Tobacco Budworm
Chloridea virescens, the tobacco budworm moth, is a noctuid moth native to the Americas and a major agricultural pest. The species was transferred from genus Heliothis to Chloridea in 2013 based on genetic and morphological evidence. Adults are brownish with green tinge and distinctive wing banding. Larvae feed on buds, blossoms, and fruit of diverse host plants, causing significant crop damage. The species has developed rapid resistance to multiple insecticide classes, making management challenging.
agricultural-pestnoctuidaetobacco-pestcotton-pestinsecticide-resistanceBt-resistanceNorth-AmericaSouth-Americacomplete-metamorphosisparasitoid-hostpheromone-communicationhost-plant-preferencematernal-effecttemperature-dependent-developmentsoil-pupationdiapausecannibalismlarval-defense-behaviorintegrated-pest-managementsterile-insect-techniquetransgenic-crop-targetHeliothisChlorideaLepidopteraowlet-mothbudwormbollworm-complexCleonini
Cleonini is a tribe of weevils within the subfamily Lixinae, comprising approximately 96 extant genus-group taxa distributed globally. All extant members are hypothesized to be flightless despite frequently possessing fully developed wings (macropterous), a unique condition among Lixinae. The tribe exhibits widespread adult morphological homoplasy that obscures phylogenetic relationships, with many genera radiating from a common ancestor with weakly resolved internal branching. Cleonini are primarily associated with arid and semi-arid habitats, including deserts and steppe environments across North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and western North America.
Curculio
acorn weevils, nut weevils
Curculio is a genus of weevils in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as acorn weevils or nut weevils. Females use their elongated rostrum to bore holes in developing nuts of oak, hickory, and other trees to deposit eggs. Larvae develop inside the seeds, feeding on the nutritious kernel, then emerge in autumn to pupate in soil. The genus has been extensively studied due to its economic impact on nut production and its remarkable morphological adaptations for seed predation.
Cuterebra abdominalis
rabbit bot fly
Cuterebra abdominalis is a species of New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. It is a parasite of lagomorphs (rabbits and hares), with larvae developing subcutaneously in host tissues. Adults are short-lived, lack functional mouthparts, and do not feed. The species exhibits Batesian mimicry, resembling bumble bees in appearance. It is one of approximately 34 recognized North American species in the genus Cuterebra, with seven species specializing on rabbit hosts.
Cuterebra buccata
rabbit bot fly
Cuterebra buccata is a New World bot fly in the family Oestridae, commonly known as the rabbit bot fly. Adults are large, bumble bee-sized flies that lack functional mouthparts and do not feed. The species is host-specific to lagomorphs, particularly cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus). Larvae develop subcutaneously in warbles, feeding on host fluids rather than tissue. Adults are rarely encountered in the field and have short lifespans focused on reproduction.
bot-flymyiasisparasitelagomorphrabbitOestridaeCuterebrinaebumble-bee-mimicrywarblesubcutaneous-parasitehost-specificnon-feeding-adultpupariumCuterebraSylvilaguscottontail-rabbitNew-WorldNorth-AmericaVirginiaMissouriVermontspring-emergencelate-summer-prevalencerarely-encounteredshort-lived-adultevolutionary-coevolutionbenign-parasitismsoil-pupationlarval-migrationsubcutaneous-developmentDipteraInsectaentomologymedical-entomologyveterinary-entomologywildlife-diseaseparasitologyhost-parasite-interactioncuterebridrabbit-parasitelagomorph-parasitebotwarble-flygadflyOestrus-buccataFabricius-1775Cuterebra-buccata-(Fabricius,-1775)Deporaus
leaf and bud weevils, leaf-rolling weevils
Deporaus is a genus of leaf and bud weevils in the family Attelabidae, containing over 200 described species. Species in this genus exhibit characteristic leaf-rolling behavior, where females cut and roll leaf blades to create protective structures for egg laying and larval development. The genus shows considerable host plant diversity, with species associated with temperate deciduous trees (birch, hornbeam, hazel) and tropical/subtropical fruit trees (mango, cashew). Larvae typically develop within leaf rolls or excavated leaf cavities, then pupate in soil.
Dyseriocrania griseocapitella
Chinquapin leaf-miner, Chinquapin Leafminer Moth
Dyseriocrania griseocapitella is a small moth in the family Eriocraniidae, commonly known as the Chinquapin leaf-miner. Adults are active from late February to late May, with males having slightly larger wingspans than females. The larvae are leaf miners on Castanea and Quercus species, creating distinctive mines that begin as narrow serpentine tracks before expanding into large blotches.
Eacles imperialis nobilis
Texas Imperial Moth
Eacles imperialis nobilis is a variety of the Imperial moth, commonly known as the Texas Imperial Moth. As a member of the giant silk moth family Saturniidae, it is a large, nocturnal species with vestigial adult mouthparts and larvae that feed on diverse woody vegetation. The variety designation suggests geographic differentiation within the broader Eacles imperialis complex, which ranges from Canada to Argentina. Like other Imperial moth populations, this variety faces threats from light pollution, habitat destruction, pesticides, and introduced parasitoid flies.
Epuraea ocularis
sap beetle, sap-feeding beetle
Epuraea ocularis is a small sap-feeding beetle in the family Nitidulidae, characterized by its association with fermenting plant material. The species has a broad global distribution spanning multiple continents. Laboratory studies in India have documented its complete life cycle, including egg-laying in clusters on fermenting overripe fruits, four larval instars, and pupation in soil.
Profenusa
oak mining sawflies, birch leafmining sawflies
Profenusa is a genus of leaf-mining sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. Species in this genus are primarily associated with trees in the genera Quercus (oaks) and Betula (birches), though at least one species, P. japonica, has been documented on Rosa multiflora. Larvae are internal leaf miners that feed on mesophyll tissue, creating blotch mines. Several species are economically significant as forest and urban pests, including the invasive P. pygmaea in Kazakhstan and P. thomsoni in North America.
Tanymecini
broad-nosed weevils
Tanymecini is a tribe of broad-nosed weevils within the subfamily Entiminae (Curculionidae). The tribe contains numerous genera distributed across subtribes including Piazomiina, Tainophthalmina, and Tanymecina, with additional genera currently classified as incertae sedis. Members exhibit considerable morphological and ecological diversity, with documented associations with host plants in Chenopodiaceae and other families. Some species are recognized agricultural pests, while others have been investigated for biological control applications.