Bean Leaf Beetle

Natural Habitat

Found in agricultural fields and home gardens, particularly on soybean and snap bean plants across North America.

Diet & Feeding

Adults feed on the foliage and pods of legumes (especially beans), while larvae feed on the roots and nodules of the plants.

Behavior Patterns

They exhibit a variety of color patterns (yellow, orange, or red) usually with four black spots on the wing covers. They overwinter as adults in leaf litter and emerge in spring to lay eggs in the soil near host plants.

Risks & Benefits

They are a significant agricultural pest; their feeding can cause severe defoliation and they are known vectors for the Bean Pod Mottle Virus (BPMV).

Identified on: 6/8/2026