Insects Feeding
on Various Parts
of Sunflowers
(Helianthus spp.)

Insect & Family Names
(Scientific & Common)

Haplorhynchites aeneus *
(Sunflower Head-clipping Weevil)
Attelabidae (Leaf-rolling Weevils)

Apion occidentale ** ***
(Black Sunflower Stem Weevil)
Brentidae (Primitive Weevils)

Dectes texanus ***
(Sunflower Long-horned Beetle)
Cerambycidae (Long-horned Beetles)

Mecas cana saturnina ***
Cerambycidae (Long-horned Beetles)

Brachypnoea clypealis
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Microrhopala rileyi
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Physonota helianthi
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Systena blanda ** §
(Pale-striped Flea Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Trirhabda adela
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Zygogramma exclamationis ** §§
(Sunflower Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Baris strenua ** §
(Sunflower Root Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Cylindrocopturus adspersus ** ***
(Sunflower Stem Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Rhodobaenus quinquepunctatus
(Five-spotted Billbug)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus
(Thirteen-spotted Billbug)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Smicronyx fulvus §§§
(Red Sunflower Seed Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Smicronyx sordidus §§§
(Gray Sunflower Seed Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Amauromyza maculosa ¶
Agromyzidae (Leaf-mining Flies)

Calycomyza frickiana ¶
Agromyzidae (Leaf-mining Flies)

Liriomyza assimilis ¶
Agromyzidae (Leaf-mining Flies)

Melanagromyza splendida ***
Agromyzidae (Leaf-mining Flies)

Asphondylia helianthiglobulus ¶¶
(Sunflower Stem Gall Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Contarinia schulzi ¶¶¶
(Sunflower Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Neolasioptera helianthi §§§
(Sunflower Seed Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Neolasioptera thurstoni ¶¶
(Sunflower Stem Gall Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Pilodiplosis helianthibulla ¥
(Sunflower Bullet Gall Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Gymnocarena diffusa ¶¶¶
(Sunflower Receptacle Maggot)
Tephritidae (Tephritidid Fruit Flies)

Neotephritis finalis §§§
(Sunflower Seed Maggot)
Tephritidae (Tephritidid Fruit Flies)

Strauzia longipennis ***
(Sunflower Maggot)
Tephritidae (Tephritidid Fruit Flies)

Ilnacora malina
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Ilnacora stalii
(Dotted Green Plant Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Lygus lineolaris
(Tarnished Plant Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Aphis carduella
(Dogwood-Sunflower Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Brachycaudus helichrysi ¥¥
(Leafcurl Plum Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Pleotrichophorus ohiensis **
Aphididae (Aphids)

Uroleucon helianthicola
Aphididae (Aphids)

Uroleucon illini
Aphididae (Aphids)

Clastoptera xanthocephala
(Sunflower Spittlebug)
Cercopidae (Spittlebugs)

Mesamia nigridorsum
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Mesamia straminea
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Rhizaspidiotus dearnessi ¥¥¥
(Dearness Scale)
Diaspididae (Armored Scales)

Acutalis tartarea
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Ceresa bubalus
(Buffalo Treehooper)
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Pubilia concava
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Stictocephala diceros
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Stictocephala lutea
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Stictocephala taurina
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Grammia arge
(Arge Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)

Hypercompe scribonia
(Giant Leopard Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)

Phragmatobia fuliginosa
(Ruby Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)

Pyrrharctia isabella
(Isabella Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)

Spilosoma virginica §§
(Yellow Woolly Bear Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)

Frechinia helianthiales ¶
(Sunflower Leafminer)
Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)

Dichomeris flavocostella
Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)

Cremastobombycia ignota ¶
Gracillariidae (Leaf-blotch Miner Moths)

Autographa precationis
(Common Looper Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Eupithecia miserulata ¶¶¶
(Common Pug)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Euplexia benesimilis
(American Angle Shades)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Euxoa messoria ¤
(Dark-sided Cutworm)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Euxoa ochrogaster ¤
(Red-backed Cutworm)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Feltia jaculifera ¤
(Dingy Cutworm)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Ogdoconta cinereola
(Common Pinkbank)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Papaipema cataphracta ***
(Burdock Borer Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Papaipema maritima ***
(Maritime Sunflower Borer Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Papaipema necopina ***
(Sunflower Borer Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Papaipema rigida ***
(Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Plagiomimicus spumosum §§§
(Frothy Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Chlosyne gorgone §§
(Gorgone Checkerspot)
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Chlosyne nycteis §§
(Silvery Checkerspot)
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Vanessa cardui §§
(Painted Lady)
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Homoeosoma electellum ¶¶¶
(Sunflower Moth)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Snout Moths)

Cochylis hospes ¶¶¶
(Banded Sunflower Moth)
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Eucosma bilineana
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Eucosma sombreana ¥¥¥
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Hysterosia birdana §
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Pelochrista scintillana
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Pelochrista womonana §
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Suleima cinerodorsana ***
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Suleima helianthana ¶¶¶
(Sunflower Bud Moth)
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)

Camnula pellucida
(Clear-winged Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Hesperotettix viridis
(Meadow Purple-striped Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus angustipennis
(Narrow-winged Sand Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus bivittatus
(Two-striped Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus differentialis
(Differential Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus femurrubrum
(Red-legged Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus flavidus
(Yellowish Spur-throated Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus packardii
(Packard's Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus sanguinipes
(Migratory Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Sparagemon collare
(Mottled Sand Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Heterothrips auranticornis ¥¥
Thripidae (Thrips)

---

* adults clip flowerheads at the base,
causing them to droop
** adults feed on leaves and/or stems
*** larvae bore through stems
§ larvae feed on roots
§§ larvae feed on leaves
§§§ larvae feed on seeds
¶ larvae are leaf-miners
¶¶ larvae form galls on stems
¶¶¶ larvae develop in buds and/or flowerheads
¥ larvae form galls on leaves
¥¥ feeds on inflorescences
¥¥¥ feeds on stems and/or roots
¤ larvae feed on stems & leaves of seedlings

Note: Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) that are selected
by these insects varies by habitat and species.

Sources: Charlet & Gavloski (2011), Yanega (1996),
Clark et al. (2004), Vaurie (1983), Felt (1917),
Spencer & Steyskal (1986), Stannard (1968),
Wheeler et al. (1983), Blackman & Eastop (2013),
Robinson & Bradley (1965), Hamilton (1982),
Panzer et al. (2006), ScaleNet (2014),
Dennis (1952), Covell (1984/2005),
Needham et al. (1928), Wagner (2005),
Bouseman & Sternburg (2001), Miller (1987),
Vickery & Kevan (1985), Brust et al. (2008)

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