Mexican bean beetle

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of Mexican bean beetle¹

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.

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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.

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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.

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

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