Among the most damaging corn pests for both corn growers and backyard gardeners is the corn earworm. It is also known as maize moth caterpillar or simply corncob worm. It is called this due to its tendency to feed on ears of corn, which causes the most damage at harvest. Corn earworm pest needs to be controlled for optimum yield production. You can use one of these best insecticide for corn earworm control: So, you have a problem with Corn Earworm on your corn plants. You’ve discovered it! It’s time for action. You don’t want to let the situation get out of hand and cause a total yield loss this year. So what do you do? Insecticides are one of your biggest weapons in the battle. Let’s look at the best insecticide for conquering this foliage eater. Corn earworms can be a real pain if they infest your corn crop. They chew holes into the ears making the stalks weak and ripe for breaking in strong winds. This results in lost yield and wasted time pulling down the damaged stalks. There are many products on the market to help control this pest, however each seem to have drawbacks. I’ve used numerous products over the years without much success. Ergo, I decided to do some research to see what scientist recommend for corn earworm control.

Best Insecticide For Corn Earworm

Introduction

Corn earworm, also known as tomato fruit worm, is a serious pest of maize and tomato. They are caterpillars that hatch from eggs laid on the surface of the leaves or in the flowers. The caterpillars feed on developing seeds and pods of corn, resulting in damage to the grains. The use of insecticides for control is by far the best option for controlling these pests.

What Is Corn Earworm?

Corn earworm is a common pest of maize and tomato crops. It’s a caterpillar that feeds on corn and tomato plants, and can cause significant damage to crops if left untreated.

In the US, corn earworm has been known to feed on various types of corn including sweet corn varieties like Silver Queen, Golden Silk, and Butter & Sugar. This caterpillar’s preferred host is also the “feeder” crop for its young—so it can be found eating soybeans or other legumes in some areas (like southeast Asia). In general though, it prefers feeding on grassy weeds that grow near fields where these types of crops are grown.

Eggs of corn earworm

The eggs are laid singly on the underside of leaves and stems. Each egg is white and oval shaped, with a diameter ranging from 1/16 to 1/8 inches. They are laid in clusters on the underside of leaves and stems. They also tend to be deposited near the leaf veins or husks where they will receive more sunlight, providing them with warmth and protection from predators such as birds or insects.

Corn cutworms

Corn cutworms are the larvae of moths. They are the most common caterpillar pest of corn, tomatoes, cucurbits (squash, pumpkins and cucumbers) and potatoes.

Corn earworm and tomato fruit worm damage

Corn earworm and tomato fruit worm damage corn ears, tomato fruits and leaves. Corn earworm larvae can also cause damage to tomato stems and flowers. Adult corn earworms have been known to feed on the tissues inside the corn plant’s husk, causing small holes that resemble light hail damage.

Tomato fruit worms may also chew through tomatoes’ tender skins, leaving behind large areas of open wounds in which mold spores can grow and spread disease among plants in the same field or garden bed. Tomato fruit worms are especially attracted to green tomatoes at any stage of growth; they’ll eat these fruits from the outside in until they’re completely hollowed out

How to distinguish between corn and tomato fruit worms

Recognizing the difference between these two insects is important because they both lay eggs on corn, but they eat different plants. The corn earworm has a wingspan of 2.5 to 3.5 cm and is mostly green with yellow stripes down its back, while the tomato fruit worm has a wingspan of 1.5 to 2.5 cm, varying from brown to green in coloration depending on its stage of life (eggs will be white). You can tell them apart by looking at their heads—the tomato fruit worm has red eyes, whereas the corn earworm’s eyes are black or dark blue-green in coloration.

By learning how to identify these pests you can call an exterminator if you need professional help getting rid of them!

How to prevent damage from these pests?

Once you have identified the presence of corn earworm larvae on your corn plants, use an insecticide spray to kill them. Apply the insecticide in the morning or evening to ensure maximum effectiveness. If possible, apply another application later in the afternoon—this will help prevent further damage from these pests as they continue to feed on your plants.

If you want more information about how to use various pesticides for preventing or treating earworm infestations, check out our guide here: https://www.pesticidebook.com/insecticides/earworms-are-eating-my-corn/.

Damage to corn grains by caterpillars

Corn earworm damage to corn can be significant, particularly when the population of this pest is large. Corn earworms are often found feeding on corn ears, especially in the tassel and silk area. They cause damage by chewing holes in developing kernels and feeding on the developing kernels resulting in a loss of grain potential.

The tomato fruit worm (Helicoverpa zea) is another major earworm pest of corn that can cause significant yield losses if not managed properly. This species feeds primarily on tomato plants but will also feed on other nightshade family crops such as peppers and eggplant.

Best insecticide for corn earworm and tomato fruit worm control

Corn earworm and tomato fruit worm are two closely related pests that can cause serious damage to corn and tomatoes, respectively. These caterpillars are best controlled with insecticides that:

• Are effective against caterpillars
• Are safe to use on crops used for human consumption (e.g., corn) or livestock feed (e.g., alfalfa)
• Are safe to use around pets and people, if they eat vegetables grown near treated fields
• Are safe to use around the environment when applied according to label instructions
• Do not harm beneficial insects such as bees or butterflies
• Do not pollute waterways with runoff from treated farmland

Insecticide sprays are the best way to control caterpillar damage in maize and tomatoes.

Insecticide sprays are the best way to control caterpillar damage in maize and tomatoes. Insecticides that kill moths can be applied to plants at the cotyledon stage (the two-leaf stage) of growth. The sprays should be applied when plants are small, so that all plant parts are covered with a thin layer of spray.

Conclusion

Corn earworm and tomato fruit worm are notorious pests. They feed on maize and tomato plants, respectively. But they also affect other crops as well. Therefore, it is important to control these pests before they cause significant damage to your garden.