Grow It Eat It: Maryland's Food Gardening Network

Corn Earworm (Tomato Fruitworm)

Corn earworm (tomato fruitworm) Helicoverpa zea
(Click on an image to enlarge.)

Pupae Larva

Larvae Corn earworm damage

Appearance Eggs: Pale green discs that turn yellowish, then gray, with noticeable ridges radiating from the center, laid singly on leaf hairs or corn silk.
Larvae: Caterpillars up to 1 3/4" of variable colors, ranging from green, brown, pink to yellow or sometimes black, with dark lengthwise stripes. Light brown/orange head and numerous microspines on the body are distinctive.
Pupae: Mahogany-brown case nearly 1” long, tapering to a short spine at tip of abdomen.
Adults: Moths with wingspans of 1 ¼” to 1 ¾”, having buff colored forewings with a dark spot in the center, and hind wings cream colored nearest the body and darker at the tips, with a central dark spot.

Life Cycle/Habits Overwinter as pupae in soil throughout the southern U.S., and as far north as Maryland in mild winters. Weather fronts bring adult moths north, with arrival beginning as early as May. Night-flying moths feed on nectar, and prefer corn silk for egg laying. First instar larvae feed on the silk and in the center of young shoots, and then tunnel into kernels near the ear tip. In other crops they feed on or in unripe fruits. Feeding continues for about 4 weeks, then the mature larvae drop to the soil and pupate 2-4 inches underground. Two to three generations per year may occur in Maryland.

Host Plants Corn is preferred, tomato is secondarily favored. Also asparagus, cabbage, cantaloupe, collards, cowpea, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, lima bean, melon, okra, pea, pepper, potato, pumpkin, snap bean, spinach, squash, sweet potato, and watermelon, plus many more fruits, grains and even weeds.

Signs/Symptoms Larvae feed on silk initially, but may chew on young corn shoots or burrow directly into the tips of developing ears. Feeding on silk may disrupt pollination, leading to kernels that do not fill out. Larvae foraging into the kernels may encourage fungal growth and attract sap beetles. Ear tips are ruined and often harbor worms at harvest. On tomatoes, larvae may feed on stem and foliage, but mainly burrow into fruit, introducing bacteria and fungus.

Monitoring Watch for early larval damage to young corn shoots. Eggs on tomato plants may be detected on the leaves directly below the flower clusters.

Prevention/Control

Select sweet corn cultivars with ear tips tightly covered by husks.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), an “organic” pesticide, can be used on early larval stages.

Mineral oil dropped onto corn ear tip 5-7 days after silking prevents egg laying.

After silk browns, rubber band ear tips to prevent larvae burrowing into kernels.

Trichogramma wasps, a naturally occurring native enemy, will parasitize larvae.

Spring and fall tilling destroys pupae.

Early crops suffer less infestation than late season crops.

Plant extra to compensate for damage and simply cut out damaged portions.

Photos from Galen Dively, University of Maryland, IPM Extension Specialist, Entomologist
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For more information, contact Jon Traunfeld

Last updated: 02/2/2012

Appearance	Eggs: Pale green discs that turn yellowish, then gray, with noticeable ridges radiating from the center, laid singly on leaf hairs or corn silk. Larvae: Caterpillars up to 1 3/4" of variable colors, ranging from green, brown, pink to yellow or sometimes black, with dark lengthwise stripes. Light brown/orange head and numerous microspines on the body are distinctive. Pupae: Mahogany-brown case nearly 1” long, tapering to a short spine at tip of abdomen. Adults: Moths with wingspans of 1 ¼” to 1 ¾”, having buff colored forewings with a dark spot in the center, and hind wings cream colored nearest the body and darker at the tips, with a central dark spot.
Life Cycle/Habits	Overwinter as pupae in soil throughout the southern U.S., and as far north as Maryland in mild winters. Weather fronts bring adult moths north, with arrival beginning as early as May. Night-flying moths feed on nectar, and prefer corn silk for egg laying. First instar larvae feed on the silk and in the center of young shoots, and then tunnel into kernels near the ear tip. In other crops they feed on or in unripe fruits. Feeding continues for about 4 weeks, then the mature larvae drop to the soil and pupate 2-4 inches underground. Two to three generations per year may occur in Maryland.
Host Plants	Corn is preferred, tomato is secondarily favored. Also asparagus, cabbage, cantaloupe, collards, cowpea, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, lima bean, melon, okra, pea, pepper, potato, pumpkin, snap bean, spinach, squash, sweet potato, and watermelon, plus many more fruits, grains and even weeds.
Signs/Symptoms	Larvae feed on silk initially, but may chew on young corn shoots or burrow directly into the tips of developing ears. Feeding on silk may disrupt pollination, leading to kernels that do not fill out. Larvae foraging into the kernels may encourage fungal growth and attract sap beetles. Ear tips are ruined and often harbor worms at harvest. On tomatoes, larvae may feed on stem and foliage, but mainly burrow into fruit, introducing bacteria and fungus.
Monitoring	Watch for early larval damage to young corn shoots. Eggs on tomato plants may be detected on the leaves directly below the flower clusters.
Prevention/Control	Select sweet corn cultivars with ear tips tightly covered by husks. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), an “organic” pesticide, can be used on early larval stages. Mineral oil dropped onto corn ear tip 5-7 days after silking prevents egg laying. After silk browns, rubber band ear tips to prevent larvae burrowing into kernels. Trichogramma wasps, a naturally occurring native enemy, will parasitize larvae. Spring and fall tilling destroys pupae. Early crops suffer less infestation than late season crops. Plant extra to compensate for damage and simply cut out damaged portions.