Abstract:
Two bean bruchid species Acanthoscelides·obtectus (Say.) and Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boh.) are known
to destroy beans in storage. However, the distribution and relative. importance of these species have not
been established in Tanzania. In this study, a bf!an bruchid survey was carried out to find out if the two
bean bruchid species occurred in th~ country. The survey was corzduded In 1993 and it was observed that
both bean bruchid species were present in all regions surveyed. However, the speCies A. obtectus was
more dominant in all. regions except in Ruvuma and therefore' appeared to be relatively more important
than Z. subfasciatus. The occurrence of the two species in all surveyed regions indicates that both species
are of economic importance in the country. There was no indication that the two species occur in well defined
ecological zones.
