Tag: insect
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Question of the Week – Pickleworm
What is going on with this cucumber? The hole and gelatinous material are clear evidence that the cucumber was recently attacked by a pickleworm. Pickleworms are caterpillars and the larva of pickleworm moths (Diaphania nitidalis). They feed on the flower buds and fruits of cucurbit crops including cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and melons. The young caterpillars…
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Question of the Week – Stem Gall
What is going on with this blackberry shoot? This is the gall of a blackberry gall midge. A client recently brought in a blackberry stem, which was swollen and distorted, appearing to be a gall on the stem. Notice how the gall has an overlarge blackberry-type appearance. The shoot tip and blossoms are beginning to…
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Question of the Week – Chinese Mantid Ootheca
What is this thing that looks like a piece of foam stuck to a blueberry cane? This is the ootheca, or egg mass, of the Chinese mantid (Tenodera aridifolia). Chinese mantids are nonnative predatory insects that much larger than the native Carolina mantid. Mantids are generalist predators that will prey on just about any insect…
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Question of the Week – Southern Purple Mint Moth
Where did all the webbing and frass on this rosemary come from? This is from the Southern purple mint moth caterpillar (Pyrausta laticlavia). This caterpillar has been seen on rosemary throughout the Charleston area for over 10 years. Commonly called “rosemary webworm,” this pest can affect the foliage on over half the plant and likely…
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Question of the Week – Puss Caterpillar
What is this hairy-looking thing? This is a puss caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis). While they may look huggable, puss caterpillars are one of the most venomous caterpillars native to the United States. Hidden amongst the hairs that cover the insect’s body are rows of venomous spines. Each spine is hollow with a venom gland at its…
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Question of the Week – Leaffooted Bug Eggs
What is on this zucchini stem? These are eggs of a leaffooted bug (Leptoglossus phyllopus) found on a zucchini stem in a field in Charleston. Several species occur in SC that show up in fruiting vegetables. The eggs are laid in a line, sometimes very continuous and sometimes broken up (like here). Leaffoted bugs have…
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Question of the Week – Milkweed Tussock Moth
What is this crazy-looking thing found on butterfly milkweed? This hairy thing is the caterpillar of the native milkweed tussock moth (Euchaetes egle), also called the milkweed tiger moth. Like the monarch butterfly, the milkweed tussock moth lays it’s eggs on milkweed for its larvae to feed and develop on. The hairs on this caterpillar…
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Question of the Week – Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
What is this critter found on a rose of Sharon leaf? This is a juvenile brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)(Halyomorpha halys). The BMSB is a native to Asia and was first reported in South Carolina in 2011. It is a pest of numerous agricultural crops including peaches, tomatoes, corn, and beans. They are also a…
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Question of the Week – Armyworms
What is causing this lawn to turn brown even though it has received over 5 inches of rain so far this month? This lawn is infested with fall armyworms (Spodotera frugiperda). In just a few days, the armyworms ate all the leaf blades, leaving little more than just stems. While multiple species of warm season…
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Question of the Week – Carolina Mantid
What insect is hiding in plain sight in this photo. The insect right in the middle of the photo that looks like a woody stem is a Carolina mantid (Stagmomantis carolina). The Carolina mantid is a native to South Carolina and is our official state insect. A few recognizable features of mantids include the long…
The South Carolina Grower 