Diabrotica undecimpunctata

Spotted cucumber beetle
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Chrysomelidae
Genus: Diabrotica
Species:
D. undecimpunctata
Binomial name
Diabrotica undecimpunctata
Spotted cucumber beetle
A spotted cucumber beetle eating a leaf.
Diabrotica undecimpunctata on goldenrod.

Diabrotica undecimpunctata, the spotted cucumber beetle or southern corn rootworm, is a species of cucumber beetle that is native to North America. The species can be a major agricultural pest insect in North America. Spotted cucumber beetles cause damage to crops in the larval and adult stages of their life cycle. Larvae feed on the roots of the emerging plants, which causes the most damage since the young plants are more vulnerable.[1] In the adult stage the beetles cause damage by eating the flowers, leaves, stems, and fruits of the plant[1] The beetles can also spread diseases such as bacterial wilt and mosaic virus.[2]

  1. ^ a b "spotted cucumber beetle - Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber". entnemdept.ufl.edu. Archived from the original on 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  2. ^ Almanac, Old Farmer's. "Cucumber Beetles". Old Farmer's Almanac. Archived from the original on 2020-04-22. Retrieved 2020-04-25.