Bean Pod Borer Moth

The bean pod borer moth is an important pest of legumes. Caterpillar feeding can injure bean pods and flowers of legume crops. Young larvae of Maruca vitrata bore into flowers and older larvae will bore into bean pods. Infestation of Maruca vitrata is characterized by holes in bean pods with extruded frass and internal decay of the pod. Populations can be monitored using a light trap to catch adults. This pest feeds on many different species of legumes, including pigeon pea, cowpea, mung bean and soybean. The caterpillar is cream colored with two rows of black spots along the dorsal surface. Adults are small brown moths with white and brown patterning.

Maruca vitrata naturally occurs in South America but has been collected in Big Pine Key in Florida. Few bean pod borer moths have been recorded in Louisiana and Texas.

Late instar of Maruca vitrata. Photo by Todd Gilligan, LepIntercept, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Adult Maruca vitrata. Photo by Merle Shepard, Gerald R.Carner, and P.A.C Ooi, Insects and their Natural Enemies Associated with Vegetables and Soybean in Southeast Asia, Bugwood.org
Maruca vitrata frass on pod. Photo by Merle Shepard, Gerald R.Carner, and P.A.C Ooi, Insects and their Natural Enemies Associated with Vegetables and Soybean in Southeast Asia, Bugwood.org
Maruca vitrata larvae. Photo by Merle Shepard, Gerald R.Carner, and P.A.C Ooi, Insects and their Natural Enemies Associated with Vegetables and Soybean in Southeast Asia, Bugwood.org

https://www.freshfromflorida.com/content/download/80903/2338736/PEST_ALERT_-_Maruca_vitrata_-_bean_pod_borer_moth.pdf

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Posted: July 16, 2019


Category: Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Pests & Disease
Tags: Arachis, Bean Pod Borer Moth, Big Pine Key, Cajanus, Canavalia, Crambidae, Crotalaria, Dolichos, Erythina, Fabaceae, Glycine, Lablab, Legumes, Lepidoptera, Maruca Vitrata, Monroe County, Mucuna, Phaseolus, Pisum, Pithecellobium Poinciana, Sesbania, Tephrosia, Vicia, Vigna


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