Insects associated with faba bean, Vicia faba (Fabales: Fabaceae), in southern Florida

One hundred faba bean (Vicia faba L., Fabales: Fabaceae) accessions from the USDA-NSSL Seed Repository in Prosser, WA were grown outdoors in southern Florida from December 2000 through April 2001 and October 2001 through April 2002 to both evaluate their potential as a forage crop and to initiate selections of superior genotypes. Insect herbivores and their predators were observed for feeding associations and collected for identification throughout the two seasons of trials. Sixty-one species of insect herbivores and nectaring predators and parasitoids were observed feeding on or were captured on faba bean leaves, stems, flowers, extra-floral nectaries or pods. Additionally, thirty-two species of predacious and parasitic insects were observed eating herbivorous insects or captured while searching for prey or hosts on faba beans plants. The most significant damage was caused by large populations of Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphidae) that fed on terminals and young leaf and stem tissue. Six Coccinellidae species fed upon aphids and reproduced on the crop. Pods were damaged by reproducing populations of Leptoglossus phyllopus (L.) (Hemiptera: Coreidae) and Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).