The Mexican Bean Beatle is one of the most destructive beans pests in the United States, affecting large parts of Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Texas or Utah. A permanent problem for gardeners cultivating all types of beans and other vegetables, these pests can ruin a crop in no time. And because their peak activity is registered in the months of July and August, our pest control Arlington, TX experts have come here today to share their advice and a few tips on organic defense measures. You may be lucky enough to never have a Mexican Bean Beatle infestation threatening your beans crops, but it is also better to be safe than sorry.
What Should You Know about the Mexican Bean Beatle?
- These pests attack both pole and bush varieties of beans, including but not limited to kidney, soybeans and cowpeas; specialists have noticed that the bush varieties are preferred by these insects and suffer more damage than pole varieties.
- The pests (larvae and adults alike) seem to favor feeding on the undersides of the leaves, but they can also chew on pods and stems.
- There are clear symptoms of their attacks on your beans leaves: sometimes you can only see the veins left or notice that the leaves have a lacy, almost transparent texture.
- They present a fast reproductive cycle and you can have several generations of pests damaging your beans crops in the same summer season.
How Can You Spot the Presence of the Mexican Bean Beatle?
In its adult stage, the Mexican Bean Beatle features a length of approximately 1/4 inch. They are yellow in color, also featuring some copper-brown hues. They look like larger ladybugs, but differ in color. You should also know they feature around 16 black dots on their bodies and are oval in shape.
What Organic Measures Can You Take to Fight Against the Mexican Bean Beatle?
Our pest control Arlington, TX specialists favor the use of organic control measures as pesticides and chemical treatments may also damage the crops and the beneficial insects you want to keep around your garden.
- Assess the situation and check on your crops regularly – if you notice yellow egg clusters beneath the leaves or larvae / adults feeding remove them by hand.
- Introduce beneficial insects and favor their thriving in order to keep the Mexican Bean Beatles at bay. Some of the fiercest predators are ladybugs, minute pirate bugs, spined soldier bugs and green lacewings among others. These beneficial insects feed mostly on eggs and larvae, diminishing the reproductive cycles of the pests.
- You can also apply floating row covers – if you don’t know how and where to place them, ask your pest control Arlington, TX specialists to give you a hand with this task.
- You can also use a soap mix or neem oil to spray the crops and keep the pests at bay.
In case you notice such pests lurking around your beans crops, alert your local pest control Arlington, TX team – they will make a proper assessment and help you fight the pests without damaging the crops or the environment.
