Insects Feeding
on Alfalfa
(Medicago sativa)




Insect & Family Names
(Scientific & Common)

Anisodactylus santaecrucis *
(no common name)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)

Harpalus pensylvanicus *
(Pennsylvania Ground Beetle)
Carabidae (Ground Beetles)

Cerotoma trifurcata
(Bean Leaf Beetle)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Colaspis brunnea **
(Grape Colaspis)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Odontota dorsalis ***
(Locust Leafminer)
Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles)

Hypera postica
(Alfalfa Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Hypera punctata
(Clover Leaf Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Rhinoncus castor
(no common name)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Sitona hispidulus
(Clover Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Sitona lepidus **
(Lesser Clover Leaf Weevil)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

Sitona lineellus
(Alfalfa Curculio)
Curculionidae (Weevils)

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

Agromyza frontella ***
(Alfalfa Blotch Leafminer)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)

Liriomyza fricki ***
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)

Liriomyza pusilla ***
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)

Liriomyza trifoliearum ***
(no common name)
Agromzyidae (Leaf-miner Flies)

Liriomyza trifolii ***
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)

Metopomyza scutellata ***
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)

Nemorimyza posticata ***
(no common name)
Agromyzidae (Leaf-miner Flies)

Asphondylia websteri §§
(Alfalfa Gall Midge)
Cecidomyiidae (Gall Flies)

Adelphocoris lineolatus §§§
(Alfalfa Plant Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Adelphocoris rapidus
(Rapid Plant Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Adelphocoris superbus
(Meadow Plant Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Capsus ater
(no common name)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Lygus elisus
(Pale Legume Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

Lygus hesperus
(Legume Bug)
Miridae (Plant Bugs)

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

Brochymena quadripustulata
(Four-humped Stink Bug)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)

Euschistus servus
(Brown Stink Bug)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)

Holcostethus limbolarius
(no common name)
Pentatomidae (Stink Bugs)

Homaemus bijugis
(no common name)
Scutelleridae (Shield Bugs)

Acyrthosiphon kondoi
(Blue Alfalfa Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Acyrthosiphon pisum ¶¶
(Pea Aphid)
Aphididae (Aphids)

Philaenus spumarius
(Meadow Spittlebug)
Aphrophoridae (Spittlebugs)

Empoasca alboneura
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Empoasca bifurcata
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Empoasca chelata
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Empoasca erigeron
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Empoasca esuma
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Empoasca fabae
(Potato Leafhopper)
Cicacellidae (Leafhoppers)

Empoasca recurvata
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Empoasca sativae
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Solanasca solana
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Stirellus bicolor
(no common name)
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers)

Campylenchia latipes
(no common name)
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Stictocephala bisonia
(Buffalo Treehopper)
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Tortistilus inermis
(no common name)
Membracidae (Treehoppers)

Pseudococcus maritimus
(Grape Mealybug)
Pseudococcidae (Mealybugs)

Pseudococcus sorghiellus
(Trochanter Mealybug)
Pseudococcidae (Mealybugs)

Grammia figurata
(Figured Tiger Moth)
Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)

Anacamptodes humaria
(Small Purplish Gray)
Geometridae (Geometer Moths)

Epargyreus clarus
(Silver-spotted Skipper)
Hesperiidae (Skippers)

Erynnis funeralis
(Funereal Duskywing)
Hesperiidae (Skippers)

Thorybes pylades
(Northern Cloudywing)
Hesperiidae (Skippers)

Everes comyntas
(Eastern Tailed Blue)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged Butterflies)

Glaucopsyche lygdamus couperi ¶¶¶
(Silvery Blue)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged Butterflies)

Leptotes marina
(Marine Blue)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged Butterflies)

Lycaeides melissa
(Melissa Blue)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged Butterflies)

Agrotis venerabilis
(Venerable Dart)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Caenurgina erechtea
(Forage Looper Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Hypena scabra
(Green Cloverworm)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Lacinipolia lorea
(Bridled Arches)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Megalographa biloba
(Bilobed Looper Moth)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Spodoptera frugiperda
(Fall Armyworm)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)

Colias cesonia
(Dogface Sulphur)
Pieridae (White & Sulphur Butterflies)

Colias eurytheme
(Orange Sulphur)
Pieridae (White & Sulphur Butterflies)

Colias philodice
(Clouded Sulphur)
Pieridae (White & Sulphur Butterflies)

Achryra rantalis
(Garden Webworm Moth)
Pyralidae (Snout Moths)

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

Melanoplus bruneri
(Bruner's Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus dawsoni
(Dawson's Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus differentialis
(Differential Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

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

Melanoplus foedus
(Striped Sand Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Melanoplus keeleri luridus
(Keeler's Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

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

Melanoplus sanguinipes
(Migratory Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Schistocerca lineata
(Spotted Bird Grasshopper)
Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Gryllus pennsylvanicus *
(Fall Field Cricket)
Gryllidae (Crickets)

Frankliniella fusca
(Tobacco Thrips)
Thripidae (Thrips)



* adults eat seeds, ** larvae feed on roots
*** larvae are leaf-miners, § larvae eat seeds
§§ larvae cause seedpods to abort
§§§ feeds on flowers & developing seeds
¶ found on stems & leaves
¶¶ found on young growth & developing seedpods
¶¶¶ larvae feed on flowers & developing seeds

Sources: Lundgren & Rosentrater (2007),
Clark et al. (2004), Majka et al. (2007),
Charlet & Gavloski (2011), Spencer & Steyskal (1986),
Needham et al. (1928), Felt (1917),
Wheeler et al. (1983), Milne & Milne (1980),
Knight (1941), Rider website (2009), Lattin (1964),
Blackman & Eastop (2013), Dmitriev & Dietrich (2010),
DeLong (1948), Dennis (1952), ScaleNet website (2014),
Covell (1984/2005), Bouseman et al. (2006),
Opler & Krizek (1984), Bouseman & Sternburg (2001),
Wagner (2005), Wyoming Agr. Exp. Station (1994),
Vickery & Kevan (1985), Cranshaw (2004)

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