Bean Leaf Beetle

PEST FACTS AND IMPACT ON CROP

Latin name is Ceratoma trifurcata

• Although the larvae feed on soybean roots, most damage occurs from adult feeding on foliage or pods
• Found east of the Rocky Mountains, wherever soybeans are grown
• No significant natural enemies are known
• Hosts: alfalfa, clover, green beans, wild legumes such as tick trefoil
• Generations per year
  • 3 – Southeast United States
  • 2 – Iowa and Illinois
  • 1 to 2 – Wisconsin
  • 1 – Canada
• Adults overwinter in woodlots and fence rows
• Quickly killed if exposed to temps below 14° F
• Adults may feed on alfalfa in spring before soybeans emerge

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