Texas Beetle Information

Return to Texas Entomology - Compiled by Mike Quinn

Bean Leaf Beetle

Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster)

Family Chrysomelidae, Subfamily Galerucinae, Tribe Luperini

Fort Bragg, Cumberland Co., North Carolina
June 14, 2005 (Lynette Schimming)

State Records for Cerotoma trifurcata

State Record Source: (Riley et al, 2003)

Larval Hosts: This beetle is associated with many species of beans, Fabaceae (Clark et al. 2004).

Adult Activity: February 6-September 21 in Alabama based on 62 specimens (Balsbaugh & Hays 1972).

Similar Species: This genus includes 18 species, three of which occur north of Mexico (Arnett et al. 2002).

Texas Taxa:

Cerotoma ruficornis sexpunctata (Horn) - Texas, Mexico, Central America
Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster)

ID Note:

Bean leaf beetles typically are yellow and usually can be distinguished by four quadrangular, black marks on their wing covers. However, these beetles frequently are without markings on the wing covers and range from red to yellow. The most reliable character is a small, black triangle between the "neck" and wing covers. This marking is always present and distinguishes the bean leaf beetle from other beetles in soybean - Iowa State

Weblink: Bean Leaf Beetle in Kentucky Soybean - Doug Johnson, Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

Photos: Several color phases of the bean leaf beetle - Iowa State

References:

Arnett, R.H., Jr., M.C. Thomas, P.E. Skelley & J.H. Frank. (editors). 2002. American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press. 861 pp.

Balsbaugh, E.U. & K.L. Hays. 1972. The Leaf beetles of Alabama (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 441:1-223.

Böving, A.G. 1930. Description of the larva of Cerotoma trifurcata Forster (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 32: 51-58, 1 pl..

Clark, S.M., D.G. LeDoux, T.N. Seeno, E.G. Riley, A.J. Gilbert & J.M. Sullivan. 2004. Host plants of leaf beetle species occurring in the United States and Canada (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae, Chrysomelidae exclusive of Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 2, 476 pp.

Isely, D. 1930. The biology of the bean leaf-beetle. Arkansas Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 248: 1-20.

Riley, E.G., S.M. Clark, & T.N. Seeno. 2003. Catalog of the leaf beetles of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Megalopodidae, Orsodacnidae and Chrysomelidae, excluding Bruchinae). Coleopterists Society, Special Publication no. 1, 290 pp.