Bean leaf beetle

Bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata) adults may be present throughout the entire growing season. The primary concerns are yield reductions from heavy defoliation on young soybean plants in the spring and feeding on pods during the reproductive stages. Bean leaf beetle adults may also transmit bean pod mottle virus, which reduces grain quality. Scouting for bean leaf beetles helps determine whether a population is present that warrants management. 

bean leaf beetle on soybean
Left: bean leaf beetle feeding on soybean pods. Right: bean leaf beetle defoliation on a young soybean plant. Photos by Ashley Dean.

An encyclopedia article details bean leaf beetle identification, biology, plant injury, scouting, and management. This includes how to scout for bean leaf beetle adults at different stages of soybean development.

Bean leaf beetle encyclopedia article

Annually, we post predictions for bean leaf beetle mortality across Iowa on the Integrated Crop Management News page. Throughout the growing season, additional updates on bean leaf beetle activity may be posted on ICM News or on the Integrated Crop Management Blog page.

If you would like to receive timely alerts of bean leaf beetle activity in Iowa via text messaging, sign up for the Iowa Pest Alert Network!