Insects Feeding
on Various Parts
of Ironweed
(Vernonia spp.)
Insect & Family Names
(Scientific
& Common)
Hemierana marginata ardens *
(no common name)
Cerambycidae (Long-horned Beetles)
Exema canadensis
(no common name)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)
Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus
(Thirteen-spotted Billbug)
Curculionidae (Weevils)
Mordellistena pustulata *
(no common name)
Mordellidae (Tumbling Flower Beetles)
Melanagromyza vernoniae *
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)
Melanagromyza vernoniana *
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)
Asphondylia vernoniae **
(Ironweed Bud Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)
Neolasioptera vernoniae ***
(no common name)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)
Youngomyia podophyllae §
(Ironweed Blossum Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)
Brochymena quadripustulata
(Four-humped Stink Bug)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)
Euschistus tristigmus
(Dusky Stink Bug)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)
Holcostethus limbolarius
(no common name)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)
Trichopepla semivittata
(no common name)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)
Aphis vernoniae §§
(Ironweed Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)
Kyboasca atrolabes
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)
Oncometopia nigricans
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)
Publilia reticulata §§
(no common name)
Membracidae (Treehoppers)
Pseudococcus sorghiellus
(Trochanter Mealybug)
Pseudococcidae (Mealybugs)
Estigmene acrea
(Salt Marsh Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Grammia parthenice
(Parthenice Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Phragmatobia fuliginosa
(Ruby Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)
Coleophora vernoniaeella §§§
(no common name)
Coleophoridae (Case-bearer Moths)
Dichomeris setosella
(no common name)
Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
Dichomeris washingtoniella
(no common name)
Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria §
(Blackberry Looper Moth)
Geometridae (Geometer Moths)
Papaipema cerussata ¶
(Ironweed Borer Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Papaipema circumlucens *
(Hop Stalk Borer Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Papaipema limpida *
(Vernonia Borer Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Perigea xanthioides
(Red Groundling)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Pyreferra hesperidago
(Mustard Sallow)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Spodoptera ornithogalli
(Yellow-striped Armyworm)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Hellinsia paleaceus
(no common name)
Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)
Polygrammodes flavidalis ¶
(Ironweed Root Moth)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Polygrammodes langdonalis
(no common name)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Carmenta bassiformis ¶
(Ironweed Clearwing Moth)
Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)
Paralobesia vernoniae
(no common name)
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)
Platynota idaeusalis
(Tufted Apple Bud Moth)
Tortricidae (Tortrix Moths)
Hypochlora alba
(Cudweed Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Melanoplus bivittatus
(Two-striped Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Melanoplus confusus
(Little Pasture Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Melanoplus femurrubrum
(Red-legged Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Melanoplus keeleri luridus
(Keeler's Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)
Oecanthus quadripunctatus ¶¶
(Four-spotted Tree Cricket)
Oecanthidae (Tree Crickets)
Conocephalus brevipennis ¶¶
(Short-winged Meadow Katydid)
Tettigoniidae (Katydids)
* larvae bore through stems, ** larvae form bud galls
*** larvae cause deformed flowerheads, swollen petioles,
and midrib galls on leaves
§ larvae feed on flowerheads
§§ found on stems and leaf undersides,
§§§ larvae are leaf-miners
¶ larvae bore through roots,
¶¶ feeds on flowerheads
Sources: Yanega (1996), Clark et al. (2004),
Vaurie (1983), Felt (1917), Rider (2009),
Thomas (1877), Dmitriev & Dietrich (2010),
DeLong (1948), ScaleNet (2014), Covell (1984/2005),
Natural History Museum website (2010),
Gangwere (1961), Panzer et al. (2006),
Campbell et al. (1974), Lisberg & Young (2003),
Spencer & Steyskal (1986), Wilhelm & Rericha (2017)
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