Mexican bean beetle

American  

noun

1. a ladybird beetle, Epilachna varivestis, introduced into the U.S. from Mexico, that feeds on the foliage of the bean plant.

---

Etymology

Origin of Mexican bean beetle

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Whether it's the Mexican bean beetle, the Japanese beetle, or the bean leaf beetle, your plant's biggest nemesis will likely be . . . the beetle.

From Salon

Garden pests are often highly specialized and named after their favorite food: cabbageworm, corn earworm, tomato hornworm, Colorado potato beetle, cucumber beetle, pea weevil, pepper maggot, Mexican bean beetle, and so on.

From Salon

But the biggest threat to the bean, in my experience, is the appearance and rapid increase of the Mexican bean beetle, which can devastate the foliage.

From Washington Post

The yardlong or asparagus bean is a good candidate, but the year I tried it, it was a magnet for the Mexican bean beetle.

From Washington Post