Vegetables Archives - Page 4 of 5

Harlequin Bugs

These handsome black-and-orange pests are found largely in the southern half of the country. Shield shaped and 1/4 inch long, the harlequin is a type of stink bug, releasing a foul odor when disturbed. Its highly distinctive eggs resemble neat rows of tiny white barrels with black hoops. Both adults and nymphs suck plant sap. … Read more

Grasshoppers

Also called locusts, the dozens of grasshopper species differ in size, color, and markings- but all flourish in areas with long, hot, dry summers. Target: All plants, especially grasses and weeds. Damage: If the insects descend in hordes, they’ll eat plants to the ground, but individual grasshoppers are a threat only to young plants. Life … Read more

Glassy Wing Sharpshooter

There are some 2,500 species of these small, agile, wedge-shaped insects; many types are handsomely colored and patterned. Both adults and nymphs, which look like wingless or short-winged adults, suck sap from leaf undersides. Some species favor just one kind of plant, while others enjoy a wide variety. Leaf hoppers run sideways when disturbed and, … Read more

Flea Beetles

These tiny, oval jumping insects vary in color depending on the species, but most types are black, shiny bronze, or dark blue. Except for a desert species with a particular fondness for corn, all have an appetite for a broad range of edible plants. Adults chew holes in leaves; the white larvae feed on roots, … Read more

Fire Ants

Many kinds of ants live in highly organized colonies in the soil, under rocks, and in tree cavities. Most types don’t eat plants, but instead cause trouble by driving away creatures that prey on or parasitize sap-feeding pests such as aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, and soft scales. All these pests excrete honeydew, a sugary sap ants … Read more

European Corn Borers

Earwigs

Contrary to the old wives’ tale, these nocturnal, 3/4 inch long, reddish brown insects don’t crawl into human ears and bore into the brain with their mean looking pincers. Earwigs do nibble on plants though-but they usually do more good than harm, since they eat decaying matter and other insects. Due to their habit of … Read more

Cutworms

So named because they chew seedlings off at ground level, cutworms are the larvae of various moths. Up to 2 inches long and of diverse color, the hairless caterpillars feed at night; during the day, they can be found underground or beneath debris near a food source, curled up in a ‘C’ shape. Target: Young … Read more

Cucumber Beetles

The various species of these 1/4 inch long beetles are yellowish green, with black spots or stripes. The slim, white larvae, about 1/2 inch long, are dark at both ends. Larvae feed on roots; adults-the more destructive stage-chew aboveground plant parts. Target: Roots of corn, other grasses, legumes (larvae); many vegetables, especially cucurbits, and flowers … Read more

Corn Earworms

Also known as the tomato fruitworm and cotton bollworm, this caterpillar changes appearance markedly as it grows. Young Corn Earworms are tiny and white, with black heads; older ones are 1 1/2 inches long and green to nearly black in color, with lengthwise stripes and stubby spines along their backs. Finding one of these pests … Read more