Adult bean leaf beetle

Soybean planting is around the corner, so now is the time to brush up on what early-season insects to scout for. Left unrestricted, these pests damage yields at the critical growth stage.

One early-season pest to watch for is the bean leaf beetle, which can overwinter and become active as early as April. Bean leaf beetles move quickly through fields, so early-planted fields usually suffer the most damage. The best way to combat a bean leaf beetle infestation is to prepare early.

Bean leaf beetles can vary in color, but are usually red or yellow-tan. Most have a set of distinctive black spots with a black border around the outside of their wings.

Another soybean pest to watch for early in the season is the soybean aphid. These pests can start to show up at soybean emergence and persist through the leaf drop phase. Fields with wooded borders and early-planted fields both have a higher risk of aphid infestation early in the season. Additionally, the presence of lady beetles or ants early in the season is often a key indicator of an aphid infestation.

Soybean aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that are yellow-green in color. Their bodies are pear-shaped and have a pair of dark cornicles.

With both of these early-season insects having the potential to significantly impact yields, it’s important to have a management plan prepared before the season kicks off. For protection against these damaging early-season insects and diseases, we recommend using CruiserMaxx^® Vibrance^® Beans seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products. CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans is the only seed treatment that offers the unique RootingPower of Vibrance fungicide and the Cruiser^® Vigor Effect, which reduces the risk of soybean stand establishment problems. This treatment can also help protect growers’ seed investment and avoid the need for costly replanting.

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