Helicoverpa armigera (Cotton Bollworm, Earworm)
Helicoverpa armigera is a difficult pest to pin down for a variety of reasons. It goes by numerous common names, including cotton bollworm or ear worm, as well as several others depending on the part of the world and on what crop it is found. H. armigera is also found on all the major continents and has numerous host plants. With all that versatility it’s probably not a huge surprise that it has developed resistance to several insecticides, such as pyrethroids.....Read more
Cabbage Looper (Trichoplusia ni)
“Feast or famine” is a phrase that applies to the cabbage looper. While it’s a voracious consumer of vegetable crops (especially cole crops) and can skeletonize plants in short order, the pest is so sensitive to certain viruses that some years entire populations are wiped out. However, because they can produce up to seven generations a year, and a single generation can cause tremendous damage, growers need to keep a watchful eye for these pests that literally “loop” through a field.....Read more
European Grapevine Moth Controlled by Bts
Long found throughout Europe, European grapevine moth (EGVM) caused great concern when it made its way into California’s premium wine grape country for the first time in 2009. However, growers soon learned that through careful scouting and judicious application of DiPel, the pest’s potentially serious damage could be limited.
The larvae cause serious damage to grapes and a number of other crops, including blackberry, gooseberry, black and red currant, olive, cherry, prune, persimmon, kiwi and pomegranate. The first generation larvae create webs and feed on flower clusters, while second generation larvae feed on the immature berries, hollowing out the center. The third generation causes the most damage, webbing and feeding inside berries and within bunches, and opening up entry points for infection by Botrytis and other fungi.
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