Tag: Question of the Week
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Question of the Week – Tachinid Fly Eggs
What is on the head and back of this leaffooted bug? The oblong, white objects on this leaffooted bug (Leptoglossus oppositus) are eggs of a parasitoid fly (Trichopoda pennipes), which will hatch and consume the leaffooted bug. Usually when we discuss parasitoids in pest management we are referring to small wasps, but flies in the…
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Question of the Week – Southern Blight
What are these brown pellets found on the base of a tomato plant? These brown pellets are sclerotia from the soil-borne fungus Athelia rolsii, commonly called Southern blight. The photograph was taken from a tomato plant displaying wilting with a good fruit loading. Sclerotia are survival structures that allow the fungus to survive in the…
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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 – Timber Rattler
What kind of snake is this and is it poisonous? This is a timber rattler (Crotalus horridus), also known as a canebrake rattler. While snakes are not poisonous, this species is venomous. It is one of 6 species of venomous snakes in South Carolina. Timber rattlers can be found throughout most of the state and…
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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 