Corn Earworm / Tomato Fruitworm

insect

Helicoverpa zea

Caterpillar that bores into corn ears and tomato fruits. Major crop pest with wide host range.

Identification

1.5 inch caterpillar, color varies (green, brown, pink). Dark head capsule. Found inside corn ears or tomato fruits.

Corn: boring into ears from the silk end. Tomato: holes in fruit with frass. Also attacks peppers, beans, lettuce.

Bt spray on silks. Mineral oil on corn silk tips. Hand-pick from tomatoes. Trichogramma wasp releases.

Carbaryl on corn silks. Spinosad. Timing is critical -- treat when silks first appear.

Plant corn varieties with tight husks. Avoid planting corn next to tomatoes. Fall tillage destroys pupae.

Data confidence: medium | Source: curated_ipm