Wheat-pest
Guides
Agrotis orthogonia
Pale Western Cutworm Moth, Pale Western Cutworm
Agrotis orthogonia, the Pale Western Cutworm Moth, is a noctuid moth native to dry regions of western North America. Its larvae are subterranean cutworms that feed on the stems of wheat and other small grains just below the soil surface, causing significant agricultural damage during outbreaks. The species prefers loose, sandy, dry, or dusty soils and is particularly associated with wheat production systems. Adult moths emerge in late summer and fall, with most eggs hatching in late winter or early spring.
Blissus leucopterus hirtus
Hairy Chinch Bug
Blissus leucopterus hirtus is a subspecies of chinch bug recognized as a significant pest of grain crops, particularly wheat. It is distinguished from the nominate subspecies B. l. leucopterus by morphological features including denser body hair. The taxon is included in quarantine pest lists due to its potential for economic damage and invasive spread. Mathematical modeling indicates high probability of acclimatization in southern and central regions of Russia.
Collaria
grass bugs
Collaria is a genus of grass-feeding plant bugs (Miridae: Mirinae: Stenodemini) established by Provancher in 1872. The genus comprises 14 recognized species distributed across the Neotropical and Afrotropical regions, with several species documented as agricultural pests of forage grasses and wheat. Species such as C. scenica and C. columbiensis have been studied extensively in Colombia, where they impact dairy production in the Bogotá plateau region. The genus is characterized by its association with Poaceae (grasses) and its potential for significant population increases under favorable climatic conditions, particularly during El Niño events.
Miridaegrass-bugpasture-pestagricultural-pestNeotropicalAfrotropicalColombiaclimate-sensitivityEl-NiñoEPGelectrical-penetration-graphspatial-distributionaggregated-distributionPoaceaewheat-pestdairy-productionintegrated-pest-managementStenodeminiProvancher-1872taxonomygenitalic-morphologyheat-unitsthermal-amplitudeprecipitation-dependentBogotá-plateauAltiplano-CundiboyacenseC.-scenicaC.-columbiensisC.-schwartziC.-oleosaC.-bolivianaC.-villiersiC.-improvisaC.-obscuricornisCollyria
Collyria is a genus of ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Collyriinae. Species within this genus are specialized parasitoids of stem sawflies (Cephidae), particularly those infesting cereal crops such as wheat. The genus includes species that have been investigated and employed as biological control agents against wheat stem sawfly pests in North America and Europe. Members exhibit phenological synchrony with their hosts, with adults typically emerging earlier than host sawflies, and demonstrate complex host discrimination behaviors including variable superparasitism rates.
Dargida
wheat head armyworm moths
Dargida is a genus of noctuid moths containing approximately 50 described species distributed primarily in the Americas. The genus includes several species whose larvae are known as wheat head armyworms, significant agricultural pests of small grains. Adult moths are medium-sized with wingspans of 1¼ to 1½ inches, typically yellow-brown with longitudinal stripes on the forewings. The genus was established by Francis Walker in 1856 and has historically included species formerly placed in the synonymized genus Faronta.
Dargida aleada
Wheat Head Armyworm
Dargida aleada is a noctuid moth known as one of the wheat head armyworms, a group of late-season pests of wheat in the Texas High Plains. The species belongs to a genus of 13 morphologically similar species whose larvae feed within wheat heads, damaging kernels primarily during the soft dough stage. Adults are medium-sized moths with yellow-brown forewings bearing a lengthwise brown stripe. The species has one generation per year, with larvae emerging in late May and June.
Dargida grammivora
Dargida grammivora is a noctuid moth species in the genus Dargida, which includes wheat head armyworms. The genus Dargida comprises 13 known species whose larvae and moths appear similar in morphology. Dargida grammivora larvae feed on grass hosts, including wheat, and are considered minor agricultural pests in North American wheat-growing regions. The species has been documented in North America with limited observational records.
Dargida procinctus
Girdler Moth, Olive Green Cutworm
Dargida procinctus is a noctuid moth commonly known as the Girdler Moth or Olive Green Cutworm. It occurs across western and central North America from the Canadian prairies to the southwestern United States. The species has a wingspan of approximately 40 mm. Larvae feed primarily on grasses, with Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass) documented as a preferred host.
Dargida rubripennis
Pink Streak, Pink Streak Moth
Dargida rubripennis, commonly known as the pink streak, is a moth species in the family Noctuidae. It was described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote and Coleman Townsend Robinson in 1870. The species is listed as threatened in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Adults have a wingspan of 32–37 mm. The larvae are known as wheat head armyworms and feed on developing wheat kernels, particularly in the soft dough stage.
Dargida tetera
Wheat Head Armyworm
Dargida tetera is a noctuid moth in the genus Dargida, commonly known as a wheat head armyworm. The species is part of a group of 13 similar-looking Dargida species whose larvae feed on wheat heads. It is found in North America and is considered a minor pest of wheat, particularly in the Texas High Plains region. The moth has a wingspan of approximately 1¼ to 1½ inches.
Elachiptera
frit flies
Elachiptera is a genus of small frit flies in the family Chloropidae, subfamily Oscinellinae. The genus contains approximately 81 valid species distributed across North America, Europe, and Asia, with some species extending into the Oriental Region. Several species are known agricultural pests of cereal crops, with larvae feeding internally within stems of wheat and maize. The genus includes both fully winged and wingless (brachypterous) species.
Eurygaster
sunn pest, sunn bug, tortoise shieldbug
Eurygaster is a genus of shield bugs in the family Scutelleridae, distributed across Eurasia with some species in North America. The genus includes several economically significant agricultural pests, particularly E. integriceps and E. testudinaria, known as sunn pests that damage cereal crops. Species identification within the genus is challenging due to morphological similarities among closely related taxa. The genus comprises at least 17 extant species plus one fossil species, with six species recorded from Russia.
Limonius canus
Pacific Coast Wireworm
Limonius canus, commonly known as the Pacific Coast wireworm, is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae. The larval stage is a significant agricultural pest, particularly damaging to potatoes, wheat, and other crops in the Pacific Coast region of North America. Research has documented its behavioral responses to insecticides, including repellence and contact-induced morbidity from certain compounds. The species harbors diverse gut bacteria that have been investigated for potential biocontrol applications.
Mayetiola
Mayetiola is a genus of gall midges in the family Cecidomyiidae. The genus includes approximately 15 described species, with Mayetiola destructor (the Hessian fly) being the most economically significant. Most species in this genus are associated with cereal crops and grasses. Unlike many other cecidomyiids, M. destructor does not form galls. The genus exhibits a distinctive developmental feature: chromosome elimination during early embryogenesis, where germ-line nuclei retain the full chromosome complement while somatic nuclei eliminate approximately 32 chromosomes.
Mayetiola destructor
Hessian fly, barley midge
The Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) is a major pest of wheat and other cereal crops. Adults are small, mosquito-like flies with dark wings, black thorax, and dark red abdomen. Females deposit eggs in clusters on wheat leaf surfaces; larvae feed on stem tissue, causing stunting, lodging, and reduced grain yield. Unlike most Cecidomyiidae, this species does not form galls. Native to Asia, it has spread globally and was one of the earliest documented invasive species in North America, first reported in 1779.
Mythimna sequax
wheat armyworm
Mythimna sequax, commonly known as the wheat armyworm, is a noctuid moth species whose larvae are significant agricultural pests of wheat and other cereals. Native to the Americas, it has become established in southern Brazil where it causes substantial damage to winter wheat crops. The species exhibits nocturnal larval behavior, sheltering under soil debris during daylight hours. Climate change research indicates its voltinism (number of generations per year) is sensitive to temperature increases, with nonlinear phenological models providing more accurate predictions than traditional degree-day approaches.
Petrobia
brown wheat mite, oxalis mite
Petrobia is a genus of spider mites in the family Tetranychidae, containing 34 described species. The genus includes several economically important agricultural pests, notably P. latens (brown wheat mite) and P. harti (oxalis mite). Species are distinguished by morphological features including elongated first leg pairs, pad-like claws with hooked empodia, and distinctive prodorsal setae arrangements. The genus is divided into three subgenera: Mesotetranychus, Petrobia, and Tetranychina, differentiated primarily by peritreme structure and dorsal setae characteristics.
Psammotettix
Psammotettix is a genus of leafhoppers in family Cicadellidae, tribe Paralimnini. Species occur in Eurasia and North America. Several species are significant agricultural pests as vectors of wheat viruses, including Wheat dwarf virus and Wheat yellow striate virus. The genus includes both generalist and halophilic species.
Schizaphis graminum
greenbug, wheat aphid, common wheat-louse
Schizaphis graminum, commonly known as the greenbug or wheat aphid, is a small aphid species in the family Aphididae. Native to the Palaearctic region, it has been introduced worldwide and is a significant pest of cereal crops, particularly wheat and sorghum. The species exhibits wing dimorphism, with wingless forms predominating early in the season and winged forms developing under crowded conditions to disperse to new hosts. It causes direct damage through feeding and toxin injection, and indirect damage as a vector of multiple plant viruses.
Scutelleridae
Jewel Bugs, Metallic Shield Bugs, Shield-backed Bugs
Scutelleridae is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera, commonly known as jewel bugs or shield-backed bugs. Members are distinguished by a greatly enlarged scutellum that forms a continuous shield over the abdomen and wings, often displaying brilliant metallic or iridescent coloration. This family includes approximately 81 genera and over 450 species distributed worldwide, with notable genera including Eurygaster, Scutellera, and Solenosthedium. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly of cereal crops.
Trachelus tabidus
Black Wheat Stem-sawfly
Trachelus tabidus is a stem-sawfly in the family Cephidae, commonly known as the Black Wheat Stem-sawfly. It is an agricultural pest of cereal crops, particularly wheat. The larvae bore inside stems, causing lodging and yield loss. It has been documented in North America and Europe, including the Azores.