Ophiomyia phaseoli

Adults are small (3 mm long) and shiny black with clear wings. The larvae (or maggots) are cream with dark mouthparts and reach 3 mm in length. Pupae are small, brown and cylindrical with rounded ends.

Soybean podfly (a minor pest only attacking pods).

In Australia, bean fly is most common in tropical and subtropical coastal and subcoastal regions. It is generally not a problem in inland cropping areas, but is a worldwide pest of legumes.

Favourite crops are navy beans, adzuki beans and mungbeans. Rarely a problem in soybeans.

Female flies lay their eggs in young leaves. After hatching, the larvae tunnel their way to the leaf mid vein, make their way to the petiole and stem and pupate in the lower stem.

Larval tunnelling damages the plants vascular tissue, causing reduced plant vigour and petiole droop in older crops. Severe infestations can cause seedling death. Crops are at greatest risk for three to four weeks from emergence, but later crops are sometimes attacked.

Monitor seedling crops twice weekly. Look for the distinctive pale oviposition pinprick windows in the leaves and for larval tunnelling at the base of petioles and in the stems. Look for pupae, damaged stem tissue in the lower stems, and for adult flies. Take action if more than one larval tunnel per plant.

Control is readily achieved in young crops with systemic pesticides, but repeat sprays (within 7 days) may be required for heavy infestations. Spraying against bean fly in mature crops may not be cost effective. For current chemical control options, see Pest Genie or APVMA.

Ensure cropping areas are free of weed hosts, such as phasey bean and volunteer crop legumes.