Sweet Corn Larval Pest Identification

Abstract

There are four major pests of sweet corn that regularly occur in New York. They are European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) both the E and Z race, fall army worm (Spodoptera frugiperda), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea) and western bean cutworm (Striacosta albicosta). All four are moths as adults that lay eggs on sweet corn, where their larvae feed on the ear, resulting in yield and quality loss if untreated. Because the management options and thresholds vary among the four pests it is important to be able to differentiate them in harvested ears to adjust management practices appropriately.