Corn Earworm
Found throughout Florida, but more commonly in the north, this multicrop pest attacks only ears on corn. Single eggs are deposited by moths on ears, and larvae feed extensively on silk, kernels and cob. Larval color varies considerably from green to dark yellow, pink, and brown accented with white and black stripes. Development is completed in the soil as a pupa with the whole process taking 28 to 40 days. Naturally occurring predators and parasitoids reduce fall armyworm and corn earworm populations in corn, but insecticides are important to produce the high-quality sweet corn we have come to expect.
Photo by Gregg Nuessly