African Cassava Leaf Beetle vs Lily Thrips

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Cassava Leaf Beetle Lily Thrips
Scientific Name Mesoplatys ochroptera Liothrips vaneeckei
Order Coleoptera Thysanoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Phlaeothripidae
Size 4-6 mm 1.8-2.5 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Herbivores Omnivores
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa Europe, North America, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

African Cassava Leaf Beetle

A small, yellowish-brown beetle that is a significant pest of cassava in sub-Saharan Africa. Both adults and larvae feed on young cassava leaves and shoots.

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Did You Know?

Cassava leaf beetles can cause severe defoliation of cassava, one of Africa's most important food security crops feeding over 500 million people.

Lily Thrips

A dark, stout thrips that damages lily bulbs in storage and in the field. It feeds between bulb scales causing brown sunken spots.

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Did You Know?

Lily thrips can remain hidden deep between bulb scales, making them extremely difficult to detect during inspection.