Adult. It is probable that just as many occur in North Carolina greenhouses. Larva The newly hatched larva is yellowish-gray and about 0.8 mm long. Aphids, flea beetles, leafminers, and spider mites threaten young plant-bed tomatoes. Damaging infestations are most likely to occur after crops have been treated weekly with insecticides such as methomyl or carbaryl. 1. Light yellow when newly deposited, it turns pale orange before hatching. Distribution The vegetable leafminer is found from the tropics into the southeastern and southwestern United States. For chemical recommendations, consult the current North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual. A&T State University, in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Both species are about 75 to 85 mm long when fully grown. Carnations, chrysanthemums, gerberas, geraniums, marigolds, pansies, peppers, tomatoes, and roses are the major host plants. Each maggot has a slightly pointed head and a more rounded abdomen. Adult. Tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa (Heliothis) zea (Boddie), Noctuidae, LEPIDOPTERA Host Plants The number of host plants is extensive; however, the plant families most often reported are Leguminosae, Compositae, Malvaceae, Solanaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Convolvulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Labiatae, Verbenaceae, Cruciferae, Amaranthaceae, Rosaceae, and Moraceae. Host Plants Hornworms feed primarily on solanaceous plants. Each egg is about 0.2 mm long. Under favorable, warm conditions, eggs hatch in 3 to 5 days. Nocturnal in habit, hornworm moths frequently can be seen hovering over plants at dusk. Damage Direct damage is caused by the removal of sap, and indirect damage as a disease vector. The larvae have four pairs of prolegs and are densely covered with microscopic spines that makes the larvae feel rough. F. Later damage. Infested leaves are favorable habitats for invading bacterial and fungal plant pathogens. H. Pupa. Color varies from greenish-yellow and reddish-brown or even black with paler stripes running lengthwise on the body. Pupation then takes place in the soil. The thrips are difficult to manage with pesticides because of their thigmotactic behavior causes them to feed deep in the flowers and buds where they are sheltered from chemicals. Tomato pinworm damage on tomato shoot. In Egypt, P.solenopsis was first recorded on weeds (Abd-Rabou et al., 2010), subsequently as a new insect pest on tomato plants (Ibrahim et al., 2015) and on cotton plants (El-Zahi et al., 2016). Pupa Cutworm pupae are about 20 mm in length and dark brown or mahogany in color. Tobacco hornworms have 6 orange spots on each side of the abdomen, whereas tomato hornworms have 5 similar, but less distinct, spots on each side. Butternut 23 and Cozella are the only squash varieties which show resistance. Adult. Tomatoes are subject to attack by a large number of insect pests from the time plants first emerge in the seed bed until harvest. Tobacco budworm: F. Adult. In early spring, larvae which have overwintered resume activity and feed until they are mature. Tomato pinworm, Keiferia lycopersicella (Walsingham), Gelechiidae, LEPIDOPTERA. Also, since heavily mined leaves may have nearly 100% of their mesophyll removed, photosynthetic efficiency is greatly reduced. Vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae Blanchard, Agromyzidae, DIPTERA. Larva Black cutworm larvae are dark greasy gray to black with a light colored line down the center of the back. The caudal setae are prominent, and the caudal end is somewhat acute. Adult The tomato fruitworm moth is usually light yellowish-olive with a single dark spot near the center of each forewing. Tobacco and tomato plants are preferred for oviposition. On vegetable crops other than cucurbits, however, the use of insecticides remains the most reliable method of control. After feeding for 3 to 4 weeks and developing through 5 to 8 instars, larvae pupate in the soil. Wild hosts include deergrass and toadflax. The mature fourth instar may be yellow, green, or ash gray and is covered with dark purple spots. D. Mine. Its body is about 6 mm long with a 9 to 12 mm wingspan. A. Second-instar larvae also feed on plant tissue, usually in flowers. Gardeners should be alert to signs of these pests in order to save their tomatoes from destruction. These hosts include tobacco, tomato, eggplant, pepper, and some weedy plants. Please leave all source links intact and adhere to applicable copyright and intellectual property guidelines and laws. Host Plants Closely related to the serpentine leafminer which feeds almost exclusively on crucifers, the vegetable leafminer infests a wide variety of plants. However, severe damage may result either from their feeding on the fruit or by spreading certain diseases. The egg period lasts for 2-4 days. The eggs hatch in 2 to 14 days, depending on temperature. In summer, a generation can be completed every 26 to 34 days. Variegated cutworm eggs are generally laid in elongate patches. Actigard 50WG 0.33 - 0.75 oz 14 During summer, larvae mine the leaves for about 6 days and then fold leaves or bore into fruit for another 6 days. Egg Cutworm eggs are white and usually laid singly or in small clusters. Adult. Tobacco hornworm: A. Larva with parasite cocoons. One larva often severs numerous plants in a row during a single night. There are five generations of this bug each year, so you need to keep on top of things. Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), Thripidae, THYSANOPTERA. About 50 mm long when mature, they are pale dirty brown in color. The fully grown maggot, about 3.0 mm long, has a bright yellow, translucent body, and black mouthparts. Granulate cutworm moths have yellowish-brown forewings and a wingspan of 38 to 45 mm. At least 5 generations occur each year in southern states. Tomato Disease and Insect Control Manual with Variety Selection Anthony Carver Extension Agent Grainger County 12 Pest Fungicide Suggested Rate/Acre PHI days Maximum Use/Acre/ Season Remarks & Precautions TOMATO, FIELD Bacterial Spot and Speck Small, dark spots on foliage and fruit. Tomato Pests and Problems What is a Flower? A new generation is produced approximately every 23 days. Sanitation and prevention are good control measures for tomato pinworms. The excretion of honeydew and the subsequent development of sooty mold fungi also may reduce photosynthesis and other physiological functions of the plant. Host Plants The tomato fruitworm feeds on at least 16 cultivated plants. The nocturnal moths may emerge as early as March or April. Damage Blotch-like leaf mines, folded and tied leaves, pinholes in stems and fruit, and fruit blotches all can be caused by pinworms. Key to Tomato Pests Tomatoes are subject to attack by a large number of insect pests from the time plants first emerge in the seed bed until harvest. Shiny and reddish-brown at first, they become dark brown before adult emergence. These tomato pests suck the juice from plant stems, leaves and fruits. The IPM package given below will take care of fruit borer, leaf miner, mite and insect vector. Upon emerging from leaf mines, third instar larvae fold and web leaves to protect themselves and feed from inside these shelters. Greenhouse whitefly,Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), Aleyrodidae, HEMIPTERA. One must make regular applications of pesticides to control emerging adults until the last of a whole generation of immature whiteflies has emerged. Parasitized hornworms are easily recognized by the small white oblong cocoons attached to their backs. Damage The western flower thrips feeds on the flowers and foliage by inserting its modified left mandible into the tissue, and sucking the fluids from cells. Damage Hornworms strip leaves from tomato vines. Scouting for tomato fruitworm