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Problem: Corn Earworm or Tomato Fruitworm - Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)
Description: The corn earworm is also known as the tomato fruitworm and cotton bollworm. It is the most serious pest of sweet corn ears in Kansas. The adult stage of this insect is a buff colored moth with a wing span of about 1½ inches. The females prefer fresh corn silk on which to lay their eggs but may choose crops (such as tomato fruit) if corn silk is unavailable. Eggs hatch in 2-6 days and the young larvae follow the silk to the tip of the ear. As the larvae feed on the kernels, they foul the ear with excrement. Larvae may be light brown or green to nearly black with dark and light stripes running lengthwise on the body. Mature larvae may be nearly 1½ inches long.
Recommendations: Damaged ends of the sweet corn can be cut
off. If control is desired, ears must be treated with an insecticide every 2-3 days
from the time the silks appear until they brown. Sevin (carbaryl), vegetable/mineral oil,
cyfluthrin (Baythroid, Multi-Insect Killer) and pyrethrins are labeled for home gardeners. The mineral oil is
placed inside the silk end of the ear with a medicine dropper.
References:
1. Corn Earworm, Purdue University Extension Service, E-31
2. Ortho Problem Solver, Ortho Information Services, pg 707
3. 1996 Oklahoma State University Extension Agent’s Handbook, pg 438
Last Update: 08/31/2005
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