Bill Cissel, Extension Agent – Integrated Pest Management; bcissel@udel.edu
Congratulations to Amanda Heilman for correctly identifying the insect as an adult corn earworm and for being selected to be entered into the end of season raffle for $100 not once but five times. Everyone else who guessed correctly will also have their name entered into the raffle. Click on the Guess the Pest logo to participate in this week’s Guess the Pest challenge!
Guess the Pest Week #22 Answer: Helicoverpa zea, commonly known as corn earworm
The moth in the photograph is an adult Helicoverpa zea, commonly referred to as a corn earworm. The adult moth is a nectar feeder and not considered a pest. However, corn earworm larvae are considered by some to be the most economically important crop pest in North America. They are highly polyphagous meaning they feed on many different species of plants. Corn, especially sweet corn, is a preferred host plant. However, they also attack soybean, sorghum, snap bean, tomato, and cotton to name a few. Larvae prefer to feed on reproductive plant structures including blossoms, buds, and fruits. It is because of this large host range, and the fact that Helicoverpa zea larvae are so destructive that they are known by several other common names including tomato fruitworm, cotton bollworm, and podworm.