Insects Feeding
on Amaranth & Pigweed
(Amaranthus spp.)
Insect Names
(Scientific
& Common)
Amara aenea *
(Common Sun Beetle)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Amara cupreolata *
(no common name)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Amara impuncticollis *
(no common name)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Anisodactylus rusticus *
(Dingy Ground Beetle)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Harpalus caliginosus *
(Murky Ground Beetle)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Harpalus pensylvanicus *
(Pennsylvania Ground Beetle)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Harpalus rufipes *
(Strawberry Seed Beetle)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Chaetocnema concinna
(Brassy Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Diabrotica barberi * **
(Northern Corn Rootworm)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Disonycha collata ***
(Yellow-necked Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Disonycha glabrata *** §
(Pigweed Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Disonycha triangularis ***
(Three-spotted Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Disonycha xanthomelas *** §§
(Spinach Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Psylliodes punctulata *** §§§ §
(Hop Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Systena blanda *** §
(Pale-striped Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Systena frontalis *** §
(Red-headed Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Conotrachelus seniculus §
(Amaranth Curculio)
Curculionidae (Weevils)
Cosmobaris americana ¶
(no common name)
Curculionidae (Weevils)
Cylindrocopturus adspersus *** ¶
(Sunflower Stem Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)
Limonius agonus §
(Eastern Field Wireworm)
Elateridae (Click Beetles)
Epicauta vittata ** ***
(Striped Blister Beetle)
Meloidae (Blister Beetles)
Tomarus gibbosus §§§
(Carrot Beetle)
Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
Amauromyza abnormalis § ¶
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)
Pegomya betae ¶¶
(Beet Leafminer)
Anthomyiidae (Anthomyiid Flies)
Pegomya hyoscyami ¶¶
(Spinach Leafminer)
Anthomyiidae (Anthomyiid Flies)
Scaptomyza adusta ¶¶
(no common name)
Drosophilidae (Fruit Flies)
Geocoris bullatus ¥ ¥¥
(Large Big-eyed Bug)
Geocoridae (Big-eyed Bugs)
Halticus bractatus ¥¥ ¥¥¥
(Garden Fleahopper)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)
Lygus lineolaris ¥
(Tarnished Plant Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)
Polymeris basalis ¥
(Red-spotted Aster Mirid)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)
Spanogonicus albofasciatus ¤
(White-marked Fleahopper)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)
Nazara viridula ¥ ¥¥ ¥¥¥
(Southern Green Stink Bug)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)
Piesma cinereum ¥
(Pigweed Bug)
Piesmatidae (Ash-gray Leaf Bugs)
Corimelaena pulicaria ¥¥
(no common name)
Thyreocoridae (Black Bugs)
Aphis craccivora ¥¥ ¥¥¥
(Cowpea Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Aphis fabae
(Black Bean Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Aphis gossypii
(Cotton Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Aphis helianthi
(Sunflower Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Aphis middletonii ¤¤
(Erigeron Root Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Aphis nasturtii
(Buckthorn Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Aulacorthum solani
(Foxglove Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Macrosiphum euphorbiae
(Potato Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Myzus persicae
(Green Peach Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Pemphigus betae ¤¤
(Sugar Beet Root Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Empoasca solana ¥¥ ¥¥¥
(Southern Garden Leafhopper)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)
Phenacoccus solenopsis ¥¥
(Solenopsis Mealybug)
Pseudococcidae (Mealybugs)
Estigmene acrea §§
(Saltmarsh Caterpillar)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Grammia virgo §§
(Virgin Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Virbia aurantiaca §§
(Orange Virbia)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Spilosoma congrua §§
(Agreeable Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Spilosoma virginica §§
(Virginia Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Coleophora lineapulvella ¶¶¶
(no common name)
Coleophoridae (Case-bearer Moths)
Pholisora catullus §§
(Common Sootywing)
Hesperiidae (Skippers)
Staphylus hayhurstii §§
(Hayhurst's Scallopwing)
Hesperiidae (Skippers)
Agrotis ipsilon §§ ¶
(Black Cutworm)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Papaipema nebris ¶
(Stalk Borer Moth)
Nocutidae (Owlet Moths)
Pseudoplusia includens §§
(Soybean Looper Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Helvibotys helvialis
(no common name)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Hymenia perspectalis
(Spotted Beet Webworm)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Spoladea recurvalis
(Hawaiian Beet Webworm)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Hesperotettix speciosus
(Western Grass-green Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Melanoplus sanguinipes
(Migratory Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Spharagemon collare
(Mottled Sand Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Gryllus pennsylvanicus ¥
(Fall Field Cricket)
Gryllidae (Crickets)
Frankliniella tritici ¥
(Eastern Flower Thrips)
Thripidae (Thrips)
* adults feed on seeds, ** adults feed on flowers
*** adults feed on leaves, § larvae feed on roots
§§ larvae feed on leaves, §§§ adults feed on roots
¶ larvae bore through and/or feed on stems
¶¶ larvae are leaf-miners
¶¶ larvae feed on flowers and/or seeds
¥ feeds on flowers and/or seeds
¥¥ feeds on leaves, ¥¥¥ feeds on stems
¤ feeds on seedlings, ¤¤ feeds on roots
Sources: Vestal (1913), Costea et al. (2004),
Charlet & Gavloski (2011), Marshall (2006),
Covell (1984/2005), Bouseman et al. (2006),
Joern (1985), ScaleNet website (2014),
Clark et al. (2004), Snodgrass et al. (1984),
Pepper (1965), Robinson & Bradley (1965),
Cranshaw (2004), Blackman & Eastop (2013),
Mitchell (1919), White et al. (2007),
O'Rourke et al. (2006), Needham et al. (1928),
Brust et al. (2008)
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