Dectes Stem Borer

–by Jeff Whitworth — Field Crops Entomologist

 

 

Dectes stem borer adults have been active for about the past 3 weeks. Females have mated and started depositing eggs in stems for about the last 2 weeks. The small larvae are already causing an impact on young soybean plants (see fig2).

 

Figure 2: Soybean plant damaged by Dectes stem borer