Which soybean pest is noted for leaf-feeding late in the season and is often controlled by white fungus?

• A. Garden webworms
• B. Green cloverworms
• C. Soybean aphids
• D. Soybean podworms

Answer: (B)

Leaf-feeding caterpillars that show up late in the season are commonly the green cloverworm in soybeans. They chew holes in the leaves, reducing the plant’s ability to photosynthesize as beans near maturity, which is why this timing is important. Beauveria bassiana, a white fungus, is a well-known biological control that naturally infects and kills caterpillars like the green cloverworm, so you’ll often hear that this pest is controlled by white fungus. The other pests don’t fit this pattern: garden webworms do some defoliation but aren’t as closely linked to late-season timing and this fungal control, soybean aphids feed on sap instead of chewing leaves, and soybean podworms focus on pods rather than causing the late-season leaf damage described.