noun
introduced into the United States from Mexico; feeds on the foliage of the bean plant
• Syn: ↑bean beetle, ↑Epilachna varivestis
• Hypernyms: ↑ladybug, ↑ladybeetle, ↑lady beetle, ↑ladybird, ↑ladybird beetle
• Member Holonyms: ↑Epilachna, ↑genus Epilachna
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nounUsage: usually capitalized M
: a spotted ladybug (Epilachna varivestis) that feeds on the leaves of various kinds of beans and is now an important pest in the United States
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a ladybird beetle, Epilachna varivestis, introduced into the U.S. from Mexico, that feeds on the foliage of the bean plant. Also called bean beetle.
[1920-25]
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Mexican bean beetle,
a large, brownish-yellow ladybug of North America with eight black dots on each wing cover, that is very destructive to bean plants.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.