African Melon Leaf Beetle vs Red-banded Stink Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute African Melon Leaf Beetle Red-banded Stink Bug
Scientific Name Aulacophora africana Piezodorus guildinii
Order Coleoptera Hemiptera
Family Chrysomelidae Pentatomidae
Size 6-8 mm 9-13 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Fruit Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Sub-Saharan Africa South America, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

African Melon Leaf Beetle

A bright orange to yellowish-red beetle with a smooth, shiny surface that is a significant pest of cucurbit crops across sub-Saharan Africa. Both adults and larvae cause feeding damage.

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Did You Know?

Adults are attracted to cucurbitacins and can completely defoliate young cucumber and melon plants within days of crop emergence.

Red-banded Stink Bug

A green to yellowish stink bug with a distinctive reddish-brown band across the pronotum. It is a major pest of soybeans in the Americas. It can cause significant yield losses and reduce seed quality.

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Did You Know?

This species has developed resistance to several commonly used insecticides in parts of South America, making it increasingly difficult to control.