Tag: Question of the Week
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Question of the Week – TSWV
This week, the question was: What is going on with this pepper leaf? This pepper leaf is showing symptoms of a virus, likely tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). TSWV is an important virus of tomato, pepper, eggplant, peanuts, tobacco, etc. that causes significant yield loss to infected plants. Numerous ornamental and weed species are also […]
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Question of the Week – Cross-striped Cabbageworm
This week, the question was: Which brassica-feeding caterpillar is commonly found in groups on a single leaf, as shown here? These are cross-striped cabbageworms (CSCW). CSCW moths lay eggs in clusters of 3 to 25 rather than singly like most other brassica caterpillar pests. Because there are numerous caterpillars feeding on a single leaf once […]
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Question of the Week – ICW Crysalis
This week, the question was: What is stuck to this collard leaf? This is the chrysalis of an imported cabbageworm (ICW). The ICW is an unusual brassica feeding caterpillar in that the adult stage is a butterfly, rather than a moth. Because of this, it pupates in a chrysalis, instead of a cocoon. The adult, […]
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Question of the Week – Squash Vine Borer
This week, the question was: What is this critter resting on a zucchini flower bud? This is the adult form of the squash vine borer. The female moth lays eggs on the leaves and stems of squash and zucchini plants. A tiny caterpillar hatches from the egg and bores into the stems to feed. We […]
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Question of the Week – Phyllody
This week, the question was: What is going on with these strawberries? These strawberries are exhibiting a condition known as “phyllody” where floral parts become leafy. Though it usually affects only a small amount of berries, we see phyllody in our fields pretty much every year. Phyllody can be infectious (caused by a phytoplasm vectored […]
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Question of the Week – Leafcutter Bee
This week, the question was: What created these near perfectly circular holes around the margin of this muscadine leaf? These holes were created by leafcutter bees while collecting materials to build their nests. These are native bees that are important pollinators of numerous species of wildflowers and cultivated crops. Leafcutter bees use the cut pieces […]
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Question of the Week – Fourlined Plant Bug
This week, the question was: What is this critter on this sunflower leaf? This is a fourlined plant bug. This small insect is commonly seen in the spring and usually disappears by early summer. It is a relatively minor pest of numerous plants including brassicas, cucurbits, beans, and members of the Solanaceae family, though it […]
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Question of the Week – Stinkhorns
This week, the question was: What are these weird-looking things coming out of the leaf litter in a wooded area? These are stinkhorn mushrooms, not aliens. Stinkhorns are different from other mushrooms which disperse their spores by releasing them into the air. Instead, they produce their spores in a sticky substance known as the gleba. […]
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Question of the Week – Mantid Ootheca
This week, the question was: What is this on the underside of this crepe myrtle limb? This is a praying mantid ootheca. An ootheca is a protective structure in which the adult female lays her eggs. It is constructed out of a frothy secretion from her ovipositor that dries into a hard, foam-like material. The […]
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Question of the Week – Genetic Mutation
This week, the question was: What is going on with this squash plant? The yellow venation in this plant was caused by some sort of genetic mutation. While attractive, mutations like this may affect the performance (yield) or marketability of a plant. Sometimes new cultivars are developed from genetic mutations that are viewed as desirable, […]
The South Carolina Grower 