Category: Question of the Week
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Question of the Week – Morning Glory Prominent
What kind of caterpillar is feeding on this buckeye leaf? This is the caterpillar of the morning glory prominent moth (Schizura ipomaeae). While the adult moth is rather nondescript, the caterpillar is very interesting. It is quite well camouflaged, and from a distance, it could be mistaken for necrotic tissue along the margin of a…
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Question of the Week – Pecan Leaf Phylloxera
What caused the galls to form on this pecan leaf? These galls were caused by an insect called the pecan leaf phylloxera (Phylloxera notabilis). These are tiny aphid-like insects that feed on immature pecan tree foliage. Due to their size, the insects themselves are rarely seen. The feeding damage causes rapid growth of the affected…
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Question of the Week – Black Swallowtail
What is munching on this dill? This caterpillar is the larval form of the Eastern black swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes asterius). This is a beautiful species of butterfly that is common in the Southeast. Host plants for black swallowtails include members of the carrot family (Apiaceae), such as dill, parsley, celery, and fennel, as well as…
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Question of the Week – Rice Trunk
What is this piece of equipment used for? This piece of equipment is called a trunk and was historically used to manipulate the water levels in rice fields along the coast of South Carolina. The fields could be flooded or drained by adjusting the height of the doors (attached to the bottom of the three…
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Question of the Week – Stink Bugs
What has caused this gelatinous substance to ooze from a developing peach? This gelatinous substance is often called “gummosis” and can be caused by a number of things, such as disease, mechanical damage, cold damage, or insect damage. In this case, the most likely cause is stink bug feeding damage. When stink bugs feed on…
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Question of the Week – Killdeer
Which common bird made it’s nest underneath this cucumber plant? These eggs were laid by a killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)who gets its name from their characteristic “kill-dee kill-dee” call heard as they fly over grassy fields. They should be a welcomed guest on farms since they eat mostly insects including beetles, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Since their…
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Question of the Week – Periodical Cicada
What is this red-eyed creature found crawling up a pine tree? This is a periodical cicada nymph that has just crawled out of the soil after 13 years of feeding and developing underground, and is now looking for a place to molt. Parts of South Carolina, including the Upstate and parts of the Midlands, are…
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Question of the Week – Brown Lacewing
What is this critter that was found resting on the wall inside of a garage? This is another beneficial insect: a brown lacewing. Brown lacewings are smaller than the more common green lacewings, though both are voracious predators of soft-bodied insects, particularly aphids, mealybugs, small caterpillars, and mites. Whereas green lacewings lay their eggs at…
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Question of the Week – Hover Fly Larva
What is this maggot-looking insect on the bottom of this strawberry leaf? This is a hover fly larva. Hover flies (Syrphidae), also called syrphid flies, are common bee-mimicking flies that are often seen hovering around flowers and landing on your sweaty skin on a hot day (they’re attracted to the salt in your sweat). Not…
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Question of the Week – Ambrosia Beetle
What caused this small, toothpick-like mass of sawdust to protrude from from the trunk of this stressed peach tree? The small toothpick-like mass of sawdust protruding from the tree is often called a “frass toothpick” or “frass noodle”. The structure was created by an adult Ambrosia beetle (Xylosandrus spp.) female tunneling into the tree. …
The South Carolina Grower 