Distribution expansion and new occurrence records of Bedellia somnulentella (Lepidoptera: Bedelliidae) in Minas Gerais state, BrazilThe intensification of international trade is widely recognized as one of the main factors driving the spread of invasive alien species, facilitating their crossing of natural barriers and threatening biodiversity and agriculture on a global scale (Cabral et al., 2024a). Among them, Bedellia somnulentella Zeller, 1847 (Lepidoptera: Bedelliidae) is a polyphagous microlepidopteran with cosmopolitan distribution, causing significant damage by mining sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. (Convolvulaceae), leaves and establishing itself as an important agricultural pest (Santos et al., 2018, 2021a, 2022; Cabral et al., 2024a, b).
The first record of B. somnulentella in South America was reported in Peru, with a specimen deposited in the Natural History Museum in England (NHM, 1914). Its second confirmed record was documented in Brazil, in the city of Diamantina (18° 11’48” S 43° 34’09” W 1.384 m.a.s.l), Minas Gerais state, where it was observed feeding on sweet potato (Santos et al., 2018). Brazil's species’ geographic distribution was later expanded to the municipalities of Lavras (21° 14’ 00” S 44° 58’00”W 919 m.a.s.l), Salinas (16°10’00"S 42° 18’00”W 474 m.a.s.l) and Viçosa (20° 45’00” S 42°52’27” W 648 m.a.l.s.) (Santos et al., 2021b; Pinheiro et al., 2024). To date, the occurrence of B. somnulentella remains restricted to Minas Gerais state in Brazil. Recently, five additional Ipomoea species, such as Ipomoea alba L., Ipomoea cairica L., Ipomoea indica (Burm. F.) Merr., Ipomoea hederifolia L., and Ipomoea purpurea (L.) have been recognized as new host plants for B. somnulentella in Brazil, in addition to sweet potato (Cabral et al., 2023).
Damage by B. somnulentella occurs during the larval stage, when mining in the leaf parenchyma reduces the plant's functional photosynthetic area (Santos et al., 2018, 2021a; Cabral et al., 2024a, 2025a). This leaf mining moth is predominantly associated with Convolvulaceae species, indicating a host-specific relationship that may facilitate its adaptation and persistence in production areas, given the abundance of wild Convolvulaceae in Brazil (Cabral et al., 2023). The loss of active leaf tissue disrupts the crop’s energy balance and limits reserve accumulation in the tuberous roots, a key determinant of sweet potato yield (Cabral et al., 2024a, 2025a). Under more severe infestations, these effects can result in reduced plant vigor and lower productivity, particularly in low-input production systems (Cabral et al., 2025a).
Considering the economic and social importance of sweet potatoes, the expansion of B. somnulentella to new locations in Minas Gerais represents a warning (Santos et al., 2018). The presence of the pest in different municipalities and its association with multiple Ipomoea species reinforce its potential for establishment and dispersal in the state (Cabral et al., 2023; Pinheiro et al., 2024). Thus, new records expand knowledge of its distribution and highlight the need for monitoring in producing areas to prevent productivity losses.
Sweet potato holds significant economic importance in both developed and developing countries, being marketed fresh, processed, and, in some regions, used as animal fodder (Echodu et al. 2019; Cabral et al., 2024a). The crop is essential for its hardiness, broad climatic adaptability, low production costs and high energy yield in a short growing cycle. National productivity averages 14 t/ha, varying with the technological level and cultivar (Gonzalez et al., 2025). Other sweet potato applications in Brazil include flour, starch, confectionery, purées, chips and various processed food products (EMBRAPA, 2023; Araújo et al., 2025). Industrial processing also encompasses the production of ethanol and related derivatives, further enhancing its economic relevance (Franco and Franco, 2021; Cabral et al., 2025b). Nutritionally, sweet potato is a significant source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, particularly A, B, and C - complex, and minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Orange-fleshed varieties are especially rich in β-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A (Zhao et al., 2024; Nabot et al., 2024), thereby contributing to food and nutritional security.
Thus, alien pests can threaten the production of raw material derived from sweet potatoes in Brazil. The objective of this study was to expand the documented occurrence of the pest B. somnulentella in Minas Gerais state by reporting its attack on I. batatas in the municipality of Conceição do Mato Dentro.
Specimens of B. somnulentella were collected on September 2024 from sweet potato fields (Rubissol genotype) in the district of Três Barras, Conceição do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais, Brazil (Figure 1). Observations were conducted on two farms managed by local farmers from the “quilombola” community. The affected areas are located in the Serra do Espinhaço region, within the transition zone between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes, characterized by a tropical climate with an annual mean temperature of 21.3 °C (INMET, 2025), ranging from 19 °C to 23 °C. The collection sites were recorded at coordinates (19°04'31" S 43°26’53" W 609 m.a.l.s.) and (19°05'03" S 43°29'29" W 671 m.a.l.s.). The collected adult moths were taken to the Entomology Laboratory of the Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri (UFVJM), in Diamantina, Minas Gerais state, and compared with specimens previously identified as B. somnulentella by Dr. Vitor Osmar Becker, taxonomist at the Department of Zoology of the Universidade de Brasília (UnB).
New record of Bedellia somnulentella in southeastern Brazil: occurrence in the municipality of Conceição do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
Biological materials were photographed using a Canon EOS Rebel 850D camera equipped with a 31 mm extension tube and an 18-55 mm lens. A Speedlite YN600EX-RT II flash (Yongnuo), a reflective diffuser, and 2 W cool-white LED lamps (Elgin) were employed as auxiliary lighting to improve image clarity and detail.
In the affected farms, sweet potato leaves showed eggs deposited mainly around areas previously damaged by other insects, indicating the active reproductive cycle of the pest. The leaf tissues were visibly compromised, displaying extensive serpentine mines formed by B. somnulentella larvae. The removal of large portions of chlorophyll-rich tissue resulted in discolored, pale leaves, reflecting reduced photosynthetic capacity and impaired plant development (Figure 2).
(A) Presence of B. somnulentella larva inside the mesophyll, (B) pre-pupa (C) pupa, (D) and adult on sweet potato leaves. Conceição do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.
This is the first report of B. somnulentella feeding on sweet potato in the “quilombola” community of Três Barras, municipality of Conceição do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. This finding provides important information for local farmers by enabling rapid pest identification and supporting more effective management and control, thereby minimizing damage to sweet potato crops. It also expands the known geographic distribution of the pest in Brazil, highlighting its broader impact and reinforcing the need for monitoring in sweet potato producing areas.
Acknowledgements
To the development agencies Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES Finance code – 001) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG).
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Data Availability Statement
Research data is only available upon request.
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Edited by
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Editor:
Takako Matsumura Tundisi
Research data is only available upon request.
