The average home vegetable gardener grows morethan a dozen different types of vegetables, and each maybe attacked by several different species of insects.Managing and controlling insect pests is one of the keysto successful vegetable gardening.

Insect pests can damage vegetables in many ways.Pests such as tomato fruitworms, cowpea curculios, stinkbugs, and pickleworms feed on the fruit, causing directdamage. Other pests, such as loopers and tobacco horn-worms, feed on the leaves, while pests like aphids,whiteflies, and mites suck sap from the plant, causingindirect damage. Even though the fruit is not damageddirectly, the plant can’t efficiently produce fruit if it losestoo much leaf area or sap. Pests such as thrips and beanleaf beetles transmit plant diseases, and pests like cornearworms and cowpea curculios cause damage by con-taminating food with their frass and bodies.

Even though many different species of mite andinsect pests can occur in the home vegetable garden, theydo not usually occur all at one time, and you don’t haveto spend the summer spraying for bugs to have a suc-cessful garden. You can use many methods other thaninsecticide sprays to manage insects and keep them fromreaching damaging levels. Many of these methods arepassive, requiring relatively little effort on the part of thegardener, and many must be done anyway to grow a vig-orous, productive crop.

Sometimes insect pest populations do reach damag-ing levels, and treatment with insecticides becomes nec-essary. But you can make such treatments just to the cropbeing attacked. It is rarely necessary and is often counter-productive to apply a broadcast treatment of insecticideto every crop in the garden. Unnecessary insecticide

treatments can cause pest problems that would not haveoccurred otherwise by destroying beneficial insects,allowing the pests they were keeping in check to increasein numbers.

In some situations, you may have to apply insecti-cide repeatedly to protect certain crops. This is especiallylikely when you try to produce a crop at a certain time ofyear or in a location where pest populations are especial-ly high. For example, yellow squash are very likely toexperience heavy infestations of squash bugs and squashvine borers when you grow them in midsummer to fall.When you grow Southern peas in the same location yearafter year, they are likely to experience heavy infestationsof cowpea curculios unless you make timely insecticidetreatments. Fall tomatoes normally experience heavyinfestations of stink bugs, leaf footed bugs, and tomatofruitworms. There are many other examples. Experiencedgardeners quickly learn which pests are especially trou-blesome in their area and when to expect these pests.

Noninsecticidal Insect Management Methods

Biological ControlBiological control is the most important method to

control insect pests. Many different predators and para-sites feed on insect pests and help keep populations incheck. If we didn’t have these natural predators and par-asites, our gardens would be overrun with insect pests.Nature provides these predators and parasites as freeinsect control. The gardener has only to recognize theimportance of biological control and avoid disrupting itwhen possible.

Insect Pests of the Home Vegetable Garden

Control Recommendations for Traditional and Organic Gardeners

By their very nature, insecticide treatments dis-rupt biological control because they kill beneficialinsects as well as pests. This is why it is important toavoid making unnecessary insecticide treatments. Bydestroying naturally occurring beneficial insects,insecticide treatments can actually cause pest popula-tions to increase. But don’t let fear of disrupting nat-ural control prevent you from making insecticideapplications when they really are needed.

In the Southern garden, there will be times whenpest populations escape natural control and reachdamaging levels. Prompt, wise use of insecticides can control pest populations and help prevent cropdamage.

When selecting insecticide treatments, keep inmind that some insecticides disrupt natural controlmore than others. For example, Bt products controlonly caterpillar pests and don’t harm most beneficialinsects. But broad-spectrum insecticides, such as per-methrin, are more disruptive. Still, sometimes youwill have to use one of the broad-spectrum treat-ments to control a certain pest or pest complex.

Cultural ControlCultural practices can affect plants’ susceptibility

to insect injury. Healthy, vigorous plants are general-ly more resistant and more tolerant to insect damage,so practices that promote good growth and planthealth also aid in insect management. Early-plantedcrops usually have fewer insect problems than late-planted crops because many insect pests completeseveral generations per growing season, producingmore insects with each generation. This is especiallyimportant with crops such as sweet corn, summersquash, and tomatoes. Good sanitation practices, suchas weed control and prompt removal of nonproductiveplants, help reduce insect populations.

Some vegetable varieties are less susceptible toinsect damage than other varieties of the same veg-etable, so variety selection is also important.

Mechanical ControlHand-picking and foot-stomping are examples of

mechanical controls home gardeners can use. Insmall plantings, hand-removing individual insects or egg masses can be a useful way to control insects.Washing aphids from plant terminals with sprayfrom a garden hose is another form of mechanicalcontrol. Another example is floating row covers,which keep insects from being able to attack ordeposit eggs on young plants. Collars of waxedpaper or aluminum foil protect young transplantsfrom cutworm attack.

Reflective mulches are another useful mechanicalcontrol for certain pests. They are especially effectivein preventing thrips from attacking young tomatoand pepper plants and spreading virus diseases, particularly tomato spotted wilt virus. Plastic

2

mulches, rather than organic mulches, help reducepopulations of certain pests because the plasticmulch discourages pests such as crickets and slugs.Commercially available pheromone traps or stickytraps can also help control or monitor certain pestspecies.

Common Insect Pests of the Home Vegetable Garden

The following information covers the most com-mon insect pests found in Southern vegetable gar-dens. The crops most frequently attacked by the pestare listed after the pest name. Noninsecticidal man-agement practices are briefly discussed under“Management Practices,” and some of the more com-mon insecticides that are effective against the pestare listed under “Control.” Comments on timing ofinsecticide treatments and methods of application arealso included under “Control.” Note, though, thatthese insecticides are not necessarily labeled for useon all vegetable crops. Before applying any insecti-cide to a specific vegetable crop, check the label tosee if the insecticide is labeled for use on that par-ticular crop. See the insecticide recommendationtable at the end of this publication for specificcrop/pest control recommendations. Insecticidesmarked with an asterisk (*) may be acceptable fororganic gardening. Note that the order in whichinsecticides are listed does not indicate how wellthey work.

APHIDS: attack most garden vegetables.Aphids are small, soft-bodiedinsects with piercing-suckingmouthparts. There are many dif-ferent species, and color can varyfrom green to red, pink, or black.Beneficial insects and diseases usu-ally control aphids, but they repro-duce rapidly and can build to very high numbersquickly. Aphids remove plant sap and kill develop-ing plant cells. They also carry many diseases. Heavyinfestations can cause leaf curl, yellowing, poorgrowth, and failure to set blooms. Aphids alsoexcrete large amounts of undigested plant sap. Thissticky “honeydew” builds up on leaves, where itsupports the growth of sooty mold fungi. Althoughsooty mold does not invade plant tissue, the black,

crusty mat it produces on the surfaceof the leaf is unsightly and canreduce photosynthesis.Management Practices: Avoidunnecessary insecticide usebecause it can disrupt natural con-

trol. Use water spray from a gardenhose to dislodge isolated concentrations of aphids.Control: azadirachtin*, acetamiprid, insecticidalsoap*, neem oil*, malathion

corn leaf aphid

turnip aphid

SPIDER MITES: attack most garden vegetables,especially cucumbers, other cucurbits, beans, tomatoes,and eggplant.Spider mites are not insects but belong to a closelyrelated group. There are several different species,all of which are so small that individuals are difficult

to see. Natural controls usually keep spi-der mite populations in check, butspider mites reproduce quickly,and outbreaks can occur. Mitesfeed on individual plant cellswith their sucking mouthparts,usually on the undersides ofleaves. Single mites don’t cause alot of damage, but heavy popula-

tions can cause serious injury.Severely injured leaves often look stippled, and web-bing usually indicates a severe infestation.Management Practices: Avoid unnecessary insecti-cide use, which can disrupt natural control. Keepplants properly watered. Drought stress can favorspider mite infestations, and drought-stressed plantsare less able to tolerate mite injury.Control: insecticidal soap*, neem oil*Currently no specific miticides are labeled for use onmost vegetables grown in the home garden. Spidermites can be very difficult to control. If you try to con-trol spider mites with foliar insecticide sprays, be sureto get thorough coverage, especially on undersides ofleaves, and treat at least twice, at four- to five-dayintervals.

WHITEFLIES: attack tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra,cucumbers, other cucurbits, brassicas, and other vegetables

Adult whiteflies are approximatelythe size of aphids and have white,moth-like wings. Immature white-flies are immobile and scale-like.They feed on the undersides ofleaves. Both adults and immatureshave piercing-sucking mouthparts

and cause damage by removing plantsap, producing honeydew (a sugary liquid),

and transmitting diseases. There are several species;silverleaf whitefly can be especially difficult to control.Management Practices: Avoid unnecessary insecti-cide use, which can disrupt natural control. It is bet-ter not to spray than to spray with the wrong insecti-cide. Insecticides such as malathion, Sevin, perme-thrin, or other pyrethroids will flare or stimulatewhitefly populations.Control: azadirachtin*, acetamiprid, insecticidalsoap*, neem oil* Make two to three sprays at five- to seven-day inter-vals. Acetamiprid is the most effective foliar sprayfor whiteflies. Imidacloprid applied as a soil drenchto transplants or young seedlings is a useful preven-tive treatment for gardens with a history of whiteflyproblems.

THRIPS: attack tomatoes, peppers, andwatermelons.Thrips are tiny insects, less than one-sixteenth of an inch long, that feedon plant leaves and fruit with“punch- and-lap”-type mouthparts.Several species of thrips occur in thehome garden. One species, the westernflower thrips, is the main carrier of tomatospotted wilt virus. Thrips can also distort leaf growth(especially on watermelon seedlings) and cause fruitblemishes (especially on tomatoes andpeppers).Thrips occur on most garden vegetables,but greatest damage occurs on watermelons, toma-toes, and peppers. Thrips infestations tend to beespecially heavy in dry springs.Management Practices: Use reflective mulchesunder tomato and pepper plants. Thrips are lessattracted to plants grown over reflective mulches,reducing transmission of tomato spotted wilt virus.Planting some tomato varieties that are resistant totomato spotted wilt virus increases your chances ofmaking tomatoes, even in years when thrips/tomatospotted wilt virus infestations are heavy.Control: insecticidal soap*, neem oil*, spinosad*, per-methrin, bifenthrin, malathion, acetamipridNOTE: Because infected thrips can transmit tomatospotted wilt virus as soon as they begin feeding onthe plant, controlling thrips with insecticide sprays isnot very effective in preventing tomato spotted wiltvirus. The insecticide may kill the thrips, but notbefore they have had a chance to transmit the virus.Reflective mulches are more effective because theyreduce the number of thrips that alight on plants andtry to feed.

LEAF MINERS: attack tomatoes, cucumbers, beans,and peas.Adult serpentine leaf miners are small (less than one-sixteenth of an inch), dark-colored flies with yellowmarkings. The larvae are small, peg-shaped, leglessmaggots that feed between the upper and lower sur-face of leaves, creating winding tunnels, ormines. The mines, which are verynarrow when the larva first hatches,become wider as the larva grows.Mature larvae exit the leaf and fallto the ground to pupate. Lownumbers of mines cause no realdamage to the plant, but heavy,persistent infestations can reduceleaf area, resulting in reduced plantvigor. Serious infestations occur most com-monly on tomatoes; even so, it is rather uncommonfor field-grown tomatoes to require treatment. Heavyinfestations occasionally occur on cucumbers, beans,or Southern peas.

3

spider mite

white fly

melon or

onion thrip

serpentine leaf miner

4

Management Practices: Predators and parasites usu-ally control leaf miners. Avoid unnecessary insecti-cide use, which can disrupt natural control.Control: spinosad*To control severe infestations, make multiple applica-tions at three- to five-day intervals.

SLUGS: attack lettuce, cabbage, and other vegetables.Slugs are not insects; they are mollusks.These shell-less relatives of snailscause damage by feeding on leavesand other plant parts with theirrasping mouthparts. Because theirsoft bodies are subject to drying out,

they tend to hide under plant debris dur-ing the day and move about only at night, leavingdried mucus trails. Slugs feed on a variety of plants,but they normally cause greatest concern on plantsgrown for their leaves, such as leaf lettuce.Management Practices: Thorough tillage to coverold plant residue reduces harborage sites for slugs.Organic mulches provide conditions that are favor-able to slugs. In small-scale plantings, traps baitedwith beer can aid in control.Control: metaldehyde, iron phosphate Apply baits containing metaldehyde or iron phos-phate to the soil around vegetables. Do not apply toedible plant parts. When treating slugs in raisedbeds, apply baits around the outside of the bed.Don’t wait for heavy infestations to develop—treatpreventively.

ANTS: attack okra, potatoes, and gardeners.Fire ants are the ant species mostcommon in Mississippi gardens.Besides their stings, which inter-fere with tending and harvestingthe garden, fire ants also damagesome vegetables, such as okra andIrish potatoes. Sometimes fire ants

reduce stands of corn and other crops by eating thegerm of newly planted seed. Fire ants nest inmounds, which may be within the garden, or forag-ing workers may enter the garden from moundsaround the outside of the garden.Management Practices: Granular baits are effectivefire ant control tools but are slow acting. Most of thefire ant baits labeled for use on home lawns may notbe applied directly in the garden area. But you canapply labeled fire ant baits to the lawn area immedi-ately surrounding the garden to help reduce thenumber of ants that invade the garden. For bestresults treat two to three times per year, in earlyspring, midsummer, and/or fall. Some fire ant baitscontaining the active ingredient spinosad may beapplied directly to the garden and are even approvedfor use by organic gardeners.

Control: spinosad*, permethrin, carbarylYou can control problem mounds within the gardenarea by drenching with one of the listed insecticides.Mix and apply according to directions on the label.Use one to two gallons of drench per mound.

BEES AND WASPS: benefit the home vegetable garden.Many different species of bees andwasps occur in the home garden.These include social species,such as paper wasps, honey-bees, bumblebees, and severalsolitary species. These insects arevery beneficial. Bees pollinate veg-etable crops, and paper wasps prey oncaterpillars and other soft-bodied insects,which they carry back to the nest and feed to theiryoung. However, some people are intimidated by thelarge number of stinging insects that are often pres-ent in a garden. Although social bees and wasps canbe very aggressive when defending their nests, theyare not aggressive when foraging for pollen or preyaway from the nest, and unprovoked attacks rarelyoccur. Most stings in the home garden occur when abee or wasp becomes trapped in clothing or entan-gled in hair or is accidentally grasped while someoneis picking vegetables.Management Practices: Schedule gardening activi-ties early or late in the day when foraging bees andwasps are less active. Wear a hat or keep hair tied upto reduce chances of stinging insects getting in yourhair. Avoid brightly colored clothing, which attractssome bees and wasps. Avoid using perfumes or otherscented cosmetics that can attract bees and wasps.Anyone who is hypersensitive to stings should takeappropriate precautions as advised by a physician.Control: Occasionally, paper wasps build nests ingarden locations, such as in vegetable trellises, wherethey are likely to cause problems. Control such prob-lem nests with aerosol wasp sprays.

FLEA BEETLES: attack eggplant, tomatoes, peppers,potatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables.Flea beetles are very small beetles that jump vigor-ously when disturbed. There are sev-eral species, and color may rangefrom black or brown to striped.Damage is caused by adult bee-tles, which feed on the leaves andcause tiny shot-holes, and by lar-vae, which feed on roots in the soil.Large numbers of adults can destroynewly set transplants of sensitive species, such aseggplant and sweet potatoes, and heavy feeding onlarger plants can cause severe shot-holing, which cangreatly reduce plant vigor and productivity. Larvaecan severely injure root crops, such as Irish potatoesand sweet potatoes, by feeding on the outer surface

slug

imported fire ant

bumblebee

striped flea beetle

of the tuber and causing tracks or scars. Flea beetlescan also transmit certain plant diseases.Management Practices: Control horse nettle andother weed species that serve as alternate hosts forflea beetles in and around the garden. Keep gardentilled or mulched when not in production. Use rowcovers to keep out adults.Control: permethrin, bifenthrin, carbaryl, malathionUse foliar sprays as needed to control adult flea bee-tles. Treat especially susceptible species, such as egg-plant, immediately after transplanting. Soil drenchtreatment with imidacloprid, applied at planting orimmediately after planting, will help prevent fleabeetle damage on especially susceptible crops, suchas eggplant, turnips, mustard, and other brassicas,but note the 21-day pre-harvest interval.

COLORADO POTATO BEETLE: attack Irish pota-toes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.The round, convex shape and black and tan stripes of

the adult Colorado potato beetlegive it a distinctive appearance.The larvae, which are reddishorange with black markings,are also distinctive. Both theadults and larvae feed on theleaves, and heavy infestationscan cause severe defoliation,

especially to their favorite host,Irish potatoes. The clusters of oblong,

yellow eggs are attached to the leaves.Management Practices: Control horse nettle andother weed species in and around the garden. Theseweeds can host Colorado potato beetles. Use rowcovers to keep out adults. Hand-pick individual bee-tles, larvae, and egg masses.Control: spinosad*, permethrin, carbaryl, acetamipridEggplant, tomatoes, and peppers are most suscepti-ble when small. Check new transplants frequentlyand treat promptly when necessary.

BLISTER BEETLES: attack tomatoes, potatoes, beans,and other vegetables.

Immature blister beetles are beneficialbecause they feed on grasshoppereggs and other insects. But theadults are leaf-feeders, and theyoccasionally occur on tomatoesand other vegetable crops.Because adult blister beetles often

congregate and move about in largegroups, individual plants can be severely defoliatedquickly. Adults have an elongated body and areabout one-half to three-fourths of an inch long. Thereare several species of blister beetles. Some are black,or black with gray margins, while others are yellow-and brown-striped. As their name implies, blisterbeetles can cause severe skin irritation if handled.

Management Practices: Sometimes you can controllow numbers by dislodging them from plants andstomping on them, but do not directly handle blisterbeetles.Control: permethrin, bifenthrin, carbarylSpot-spray concentrations of adult beetles.

CUCUMBER BEETLES: attack cucumbers, melons,other cucurbits, beans, Southern peas, and corn.Three species of cucumber beetles occurin Mississippi gardens. The stripedcucumber beetle has black and yel-low stripes and feeds mostly oncucumbers, melons, and squash.The 12-spotted cucumber beetle,which is yellow with black spots,feeds on all of these cucurbits, aswell as on beans, peas, and corn.Banded cucumber beetles, whichoccur mainly in the southern portion ofthe state, are green with bright yellow spots. Theyhave a host range similar to the 12-spotted cucumberbeetle and can be a major pest on sweet potatoes.Adults of all three species are approximately three-six-teenths of an inch long and feed on leaves, while lar-vae feed on roots in the soil. Damage potential is great-est on emerging seedlings. Adults can destroy germi-nating melon, squash, and cucumber seedlings beforethey fully emerge. Plants taller than six inches are lesslikely to be killed, but heavy defoliation can stillreduce plant vigor. Larvae of the 12-spotted cucumberbeetle, also known as the southern corn rootworm, canalso destroy young corn seedlings. Adults may feed onthe corn silks, causing “skippy” ears. Adult cucumberbeetles may also feed on and scar the surfaces ofsquash, pumpkins, and melons. Cucumber beetles cancarry a number of plant diseases.Management Practices: Use row covers to excludeadults from emerging seedlings.Control: permethrin, bifenthrin, esfenvalerate, carbaryl,acetamipridCheck emerging seedlings frequently, and treatpromptly if needed. Adult beetles may continue toarrive, resulting in the need for follow-up treatments.Soil drench treatment with imidacloprid, applied atplanting or immediately after planting, will help pre-vent early cucumber beetle damage on youngsquash, pumpkins, and other cucurbits.

BEAN LEAF BEETLES: attack beans and Southern peas.Adult bean leaf beetles are about three-six-teenths of an inch long and occur ina variety of colors. The most com-mon color is beige with black bor-ders and black spots, but individ-ual beetles may be red with blackmarkings, or solid beige, pink, orred. Adults feed on leaves of beansand Southern peas, while larvae feed

striped blister b

eetle

colorado

potato beetle

12-spotted cucumber beetle

bean leaf beetle

5

on the roots and nitrogen-fixing nodules in the soil.Greatest damage occurs when large numbers ofadults feed on very young seedlings. Occasionallythe amount of defoliation can be severe enough toreduce plant vigor. Adults also feed on pods and theseed within, but this damage is rarely commonenough to warrant treatment. The adults carry anumber of important virus diseases of peas andbeans.Management Practices: Use row covers to excludeadults from emerging seedlings. Bean leaf beetlesoverwinter as adults in leaf litter. When they emergein the spring, they are strongly attracted to the firstavailable plantings of peas and/or beans. Controllingthese overwintered adults greatly reduces the poten-tial for problems with later generations.Control: carbaryl, malathion, bifenthrin, permethrinCheck emerging seedlings frequently, and treatpromptly if needed. Adult beetles may continue toarrive, resulting in the need for follow-up treatments.

MEXICAN BEAN BEETLES: attack beans andSouthern peas.

The Mexican bean beetle is one ofthe few species of lady beetles thatfeed on plants. Adults are coppercolored and have 16 small, blackspots. The larvae are yellow butare covered with black-tippedspines. The long, yellow eggs are

attached to the leaves in small clus-ters. Both the adults and larvae feed on the leaves.These beetles prefer lima beans and snap beans

more than peas. The squash beetle, a related species,sometimes occurs on squash and other cucurbits.Management Practices: Infestations of Mexicanbean beetles are rare, and treatment is rarelyrequired. Use row covers to exclude adults fromemerging seedlings. If numbers are low, hand-pick-ing eggs, larvae, and/or adults can be helpful.Control: carbaryl, malathion, bifenthrin

COWPEA CURCULIOS: attack Southern peas andoccasionally beans.

This insect causes small circularspots on the seeds of Southernpeas. These are egg-layingpunctures. The small, leglessgrubs develop inside the indi-vidual peas. Sometimes you seethese larvae when you shell

peas, especially more mature peas.The adults are dark gray and about

three-sixteenths of an inch long, but you rarely seethem because they quickly drop to the ground whendisturbed. This insect rarely flies. Adults overwinterin nearby ground trash and crawl into the garden inthe spring.

Management Practices: Because the adults rarelyfly, moving the garden site, or at least the pea patch,can help reduce infestation levels. New sites shouldbe at least a few hundred feet from old sites. But thisinsect has a number of weed hosts, and site rotationis not effective when there are lots of alternate hosts.Destroying pea vines promptly after the last harvestprevents many insects from completing development.Control: carbaryl, bifenthrinBegin treatment when small pea pods first appear(about a half-inch long). Make three applications atfive-day intervals. It is important to begin treatmentsbefore pods are large enough to support egg-laying.

VEGETABLE WEEVILS: attack turnips, mustard, bokchoy, and other brassicas, as well as tomatoes, potatoes,and other vegetables.Adult vegetable weevils are stout-bodied, grayish-brown beetleswith short, stout snouts. They areabout five-sixteenths of an inchlong and usually have a distinct,light-colored “V” on their backs.The legless larvae are greenish-yellowand are found crawling about on leavesand in plant crowns. Pupation occurs in thesoil. Both adults and larvae are leaf-feeders, but theyalso damage stems and roots. You see this insectmost commonly on turnips, where it can cause con-siderable damage, but it occasionally attacks othervegetables, as well. Newly transplanted tomatoesand other seedlings sometimes experience heavydamage, especially when planted in an area whereturnips, mustard, or other winter brassica crops wererecently growing. The adults are active from late fallthrough early summer, but they hibernate throughthe summer. Adults rarely fly. The yellowmarginedleaf beetle causes similar damage to turnips, andinfestations of these two beetles often occur together.Management Practices: Adult vegetable weevilsrarely fly, so rotating the garden site can help reduceinfestation levels. Vegetable weevils also reproduceon a number of weed hosts. Because the pupae occurin the soil and the adults oversummer underneathcrop debris, cultivation and tillage can help reduceinfestation levels.Control: malathion, carbarylPre-harvest intervals for leafy vegetables are quitelong for most insecticides. Apply treatments wellbefore harvest to prevent damage and to meetrequired pre-harvest intervals.

YELLOWMARGINED LEAF BEETLES: attackturnips, mustard, bok choy, and other brassicas.Yellowmargined leaf beetles usually occur in combi-nation with vegetable weevils. Adults are small,black beetles, about one-quarter inch long, with apale yellow margin around the outer edge of the

6

mexican bean beetle

cowpea curculio

vegetable weevil

body. Larvae are small, black insects with a bodyshape similar to the larvae of Colorado potato bee-tles. Damage is caused by adults and larvae feedingon leaves, resulting in defoliation injury. Like veg-etable weevils, yellowmargined leaf beetles are activeduring the cooler months of the year—fall throughlate spring. Management Practices: Destroy stands of brassicaplants as soon as possible after final harvest. Thispractice is especially helpful because it preventsinsects from developing into adults and moving toother crops or entering summer aestivation.Control: malathion, carbaryl, spinosad Malathion and carbaryl are best applied only to veryyoung plants because of the long pre-harvest inter-vals. Spinosad provides good control of yellowmar-gined leaf beetles and has a one-day pre-harvest inter-val on turnips, mustard, and most other brassicas.

TORTOISE BEETLES: attack sweet potatoesand eggplant.Several species of tortoise beetles may

occur in the home garden.Although you may see them

on other plants, they most com-monly attack sweet potatoes and

eggplant. Both adults and larvae arefoliage feeders, usually feeding from

the underside of the leaf and causingsmall shot holes through the leaves. Adults of manyspecies have a flattened margin around the edge oftheir bodies, giving them a distinctive, somewhatrounded shape. One species, the golden tortoise bee-tle, is a striking gold color. Eggplant tortoise beetlesare greenish. The larvae are covered with spines andhave an extended forked structure at the end of theabdomen, which becomes covered with cast skinsand fecal material. This causes the larvae to look likenothing more than a bit of dried plant debris stuck tothe underside of a leaf. This fork can be folded overthe back or may extend straight out from the end ofthe abdomen.Management Practices: Although tortoise beetlesare not rare, it is uncommon for them to cause seri-ous damage.Control: carbaryl, malathionDirect spray to the undersides of leaves.

SWEET POTATO WEEVILS: attack sweet potatoes.Adult sweet potato weevils areunique in appearance. Thehead and abdomen are shinyblack to metallic blue, whilethe thorax and legs are red-dish-orange. These beetles areabout one-fourth of an inch long,

with long legs, a slender body, and an elongatedsnout. The larvae are slender, white, legless grubs.Damage is caused by both the adults and larvae,which begin feeding on roots in the field and contin-ue to feed and reproduce on roots after they are har-vested and stored. Larval feeding gives a bitter tasteto sweet potatoes. Infested potatoes are riddled withlarvae and their frass-packed galleries. This insect isan extremely important pest of commercial sweetpotatoes. It is not currently established north of theMeridian-Canton-Yazoo City area, and there is aquarantine against shipping infested sweet potatoesinto the northern portion of the state. Sweet potatoweevils occur on sweet potatoes as well as on certainspecies of morning glories in the southern portion ofthe state.Management Practices: Buy and plant only certifiedweevil-free seed potatoes or slips. Check stored pota-toes regularly, and immediately destroy all potatoesif you find sweet potato weevils. Destroy infestedpotatoes in a way that will kill adult weevils and lar-vae. Do not simply discard infested potatoes. Contactthe Mississippi Department of Agriculture immedi-ately if you detect sweet potato weevils north ofHighway 16.Control: carbarylWhere sweet potato weevils are present, you mayhave to make repeated weekly or biweekly sprays toprevent damaging infestations. You can use commer-cially available pheromone traps to monitor for thepresence of adult sweet potato weevils and thusdetermine the need for treatment. Use Phosmet (5%Imidan Dust) to protect stored sweet potatoes.

SQUASH BUGS: attack squash, pumpkins,and other cucurbits.Adult squash bugs are brown, stink-bug-like insects about five-eighthsof an inch long. Nymphs are simi-lar in appearance but are smaller,dusty gray, and wingless. Bothstages are normally found near thebase of the plant. The brown, oval-shaped eggs are attached to the leaves in loose clus-ters. Both adults and nymphs suck plant juicesthrough their piercing-sucking mouthparts.Concentrated feeding by large numbers of bugs cancause individual plants, especially smaller, pre-blooming plants, to wilt and die overnight. This isknown as anasa wilt and is often mistakenly attrib-uted to disease. It is caused by the saliva the bugsinject when feeding. Larger plants are rarely killed,but heavy infestations can cause wilting, yellowing,and necrotic areas in the leaves, which can hurt plantvigor and productivity. Squash bugs also carry a dis-ease of cucurbits known as yellow vine.

7

sweet potato weevil

squash bug

tortoise beetle

Management Practices: Row covers can help protectyoung plants from colonizing adults. Hand-pickingegg masses, nymphs, and adults can be useful insmall plantings, especially on seedling plants. Largenumbers of squash bugs can develop on abandonedplants and unharvested fruit (especially squash andpumpkins), so good sanitation—destroying and/orremoving abandoned plants and unharvested fruit—helps reduce late-season populations.Control: pyrethrins*, carbaryl, bifenthrin, perme-thrin, esfenvalerate, malathionCheck plants regularly, and begin treatment as soonas you detect squash bugs. Be sure to direct sprays tothe base of the plant where bugs tend to congregate.Repeated applications are often necessary.

STINK BUGS: attack tomatoes, okra, Southern peas,beans, and corn.Several different species of stinkbugs occur in Mississippi veg-etable gardens. Adults of thesebrown or green, shield-shapedinsects are about three-eighths ofan inch long. The immatures

(nymphs) are similar in shape but arewingless and, depending on the species, may besolid tan or green with white and pink spots or hori-zontal stripes. Both stages cause damage by feedingon fruit (tomatoes, okra pods, and pea or bean seeds)with their piercing-sucking mouthparts. The barrel-shaped eggs are attached to the leaves in clusters.Curled, distorted okra pods are often the result ofstink bug feeding. Tomatoes develop white or yellowcorky spots underneath the skin as a result of stinkbug feeding. Depending on the size of the seed whenattacked, pea and bean seeds may shrivel or havesunken, stung spots. This damage is often confusedwith that caused by cowpea curculios. Heavy infesta-tions of stink bugs can seriously damage tomatoes,beans, and peas. Stink bugs also feed on corn andcan kill seedling plants or curl ears. Although it isnot uncommon to see individual examples of thesetwo types of damage, it is uncommon for manyplants or ears to be damaged this way. Stink bugsoften build to high numbers on agricultural cropsand other alternate hosts and move to gardens in latesummer and fall.Management Practices: Plant peas, beans, andtomatoes early to avoid the high numbers of stinkbugs common in late summer and fall. Hand-pickingegg masses, nymphs, and adults can help slow popu-lation buildup in small plantings.Control: pyrethrins*, bifenthrin, carbaryl, malathion,permethrin, cyhalothrinYou may have to spray several times to control theheavy infestations that often invade gardens in latesummer and fall.

LEAF-FOOTED BUGS: attack tomatoes and othervegetables.Although leaf-footed bugs feed on many other veg-etables, they are mainly a problem on tomatoes andtomatillos. They feed with piercing-sucking mouth-parts. These insects are similar to stink bugs but arelarger and longer (about five-eighths of an inchlong). Adults are grayish-brown with a distinct whitestripe across the back. Their most distinctive trait istheir flattened, leaf-shaped hind legs. These insectsare often mistakenly identified as squash bugs, butsquash bugs do not have the leaf-shaped hind legs orthe white line across the back. Adults often attacktomatoes in high numbers in late summer and earlyfall. Leaf-footed bugs tend to fly and leave the plantswhen disturbed, but they return after the disturbancehas passed. This habit makes leaf-footed bugs espe-cially difficult to control with foliar sprays.Management Practices: Early planting can helpavoid the high numbers of leaf-footed bugs that arecommon in late summer and fall. Sunflowers can beused as a “trap crop.” Heavy numbers often congre-gate on developing sunflower blooms, where youcan kill them with contact sprays. Such treatmentswork best when applied early in the morning, wheninsects are less likely to fly. If you don’t treat them,though, sunflowers can serve as a nursery crop,resulting in higher populations of leaf-footed bugs.Control: pyrethrins*, carbaryl, malathion, bifenthrin,permethrin, cyhalothrinYou must spray adult leaf-footed bugs directly tohave control. This can be difficult because of theinsect’s habit of flying away when disturbed. Applysprays early in the morning when insects are coolerand less likely to fly.

CHINCH BUGS: attack corn.Adult chinch bugs are about one-fifthof an inch or less long and are blackwith white wings folded in an X overtheir backs. The immature chinch bug,or nymph, is red or black with a lightband across the back. Seedling cornplants less than six inches tall can be seri-ously injured or killed by this pest. Both adults andnymphs feed with piercing-sucking mouthparts, andthe saliva they inject into the plant while feedingcauses toxic reactions. Damaged seedlings will becurled or stunted. Seedlings damaged to this degreedo not produce viable plants. It takes only four orfive chinch bugs to seriously injure plants less thansix inches tall. Larger plants can tolerate higher infes-tations, and it is not uncommon to see mature plantsinfested with several hundred chinch bugs but suf-fering little apparent damage.Management Practices: Water seedling corn well.Drought conditions favor chinch bug populationdevelopment and make seedlings more susceptible to

8

chinch bug

southern green

stink bug

injury. Check emerging corn seedlings regularly untilthey are at least six inches tall and are growing vigor-ously, and treat promptly if you detect chinch bugs.On seedling corn, chinch bugs can be found at orbelow ground level, within the whorl, and under leafsheaths.Control: carbaryl, malathion, bifenthrin, permethrin,cyhalothrinBe sure to use enough spray volume when treatingfor chinch bugs. Direct sprays toward the bases ofthe plants and into leaf whorls. Most chinch bugswill be slightly below ground, in cracks near theplants, and between the plant and soil.

HARLEQUIN BUGS: attack collards, cabbage, broc-coli, cauliflower, mustard, turnips, other crucifers, andoccasionally other vegetables.

Harlequin bugs look very much likestink bugs. The adults are striking-ly marked in black and yellow, orred. Nymphs are similarly col-ored but have horizontal bandsacross their backs. The barrel-shaped eggs, which have two dis-

tinctive black bands, are deposited inclusters on the leaves. Unlike stink bugs, harlequinbugs are active throughout the winter, as well as inlate fall and early spring, but they hibernate throughthe summer. Harlequin bugs are mainly found oncruciferous plants, especially collards and cabbage.Both adults and nymphs feed on the leaves and leafbuds with their piercing-sucking mouthparts, caus-ing white, sunken spots or blotches at the point offeeding. Heavy infestations can cause deformedplant growth and wilting.Management Practices: Destroy stands of crucifer-ous plants as soon as they stop producing. This pre-vents harlequin bugs from continuing to reproduceon abandoned plants. Hand-picking eggs, nymphs,and adults can benefit small plantings.Control: carbaryl, malathion, bifenthrin, permethrin

CUTWORMS: attack young transplantsand newly emerged seedlings.Cutworms are caterpillar pests thatcut the stem of young transplantsand newly emerged seedlings. Thereare several species, many of whichbegin feeding on weedy vegetation in latesummer and fall and overwinter in the soil as partial-ly grown larvae. Because transplants are more costlyand are planted at lower densities, the potential forserious damage is higher for the transplants than fordirect seeded plants. As plants grow larger, theybecome less susceptible to cutworm injury.Management Practices: Tilling the garden at leastthree weeks before seeding and transplanting starvesmany overwintered larvae. Wrapping the lower stem

area of transplants with strips of paper or aluminumfoil, a “cutworm collar,” will protect transplants fromcutworm feeding.Control: permethrin, bifenthrin, carbaryl, malathionIn high-risk situations, spray newly set transplantsand the soil immediately surrounding them withpermethrin.

TOBACCO HORNWORMS AND TOMATOHORNWORMS: attack tomatoesand occasionally peppers or eggplant.The distinctive horn on the rearof the body makes this large,green caterpillar easy to identi-fy. The species most commonlyseen on tomatoes in Mississippi is the tobacco horn-worm, which usually has a reddish horn and sevenwhite diagonal stripes on the side. The tomato horn-worm usually has a black or green horn and white V-shaped marks on the side. Mature larvae may reachfour inches in length, and caterpillars of this size canquickly consume large amounts of leaf area.Occasionally these caterpillars feed on fruit, but defo-liation is the major type of injury. You rarely see thelarge, gray, night-flying moths. These jet-shapedmoths lay their large, shiny eggs individually on theleaves of host plants.Management Practices: Hand-picking eggs andcaterpillars can help in small plantings.Control: Bt kurstaki*, spinosad*, carbaryl, malathion,permethrin, bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, esfenvalerateSpray if you see caterpillars or defoliation.

TOMATO FRUITWORMS/CORN EARWORMS:attack tomatoes, tomatillos, corn, and occasionally othervegetables.These are the caterpillars so commonlyencountered feeding in the ends ofcorn ears, and they can ruin an oth-erwise beautiful tomato. They alsooccasionally occur in other vegeta-bles, such as eggplant, okra, beans,and peas, but seldom in high num-bers. Tomato fruitworms are espe-cially damaging to tomatoes andtomatillos. These robust caterpillars varyfrom green or light yellow to brown or black. Maturelarvae are about 11⁄2 inch long. The night-flying mothsare light brown with one somewhat indistinct spot inthe center of each forewing. They lay small, roundeggs individually on the silks of corn or on the bloomclusters of tomatoes. Newly deposited eggs are whitebut become darker as they mature. Caterpillars boreinto fruit. In corn, the damage is usually restricted tothe first one or two inches of kernels at the tip of theear, but when the larvae bore into tomatoes, the entirefruit is usually lost. Immature, marble-sized fruit maybe damaged, as well as large, mature fruit.

9

tomato hornworm

corn earworm

harlequin bug

cutworm

Management Practices: There are several genera-tions per year, and numbers increase with each gen-eration, so early crops normally have lower infesta-tions than late summer and fall crops. Because of thehigh number of spray applications required to con-trol this pest in corn, most home gardeners choose todo nothing and simply discard the damaged portionof the ear at harvest. Tomatoes are a different matter!Heavy infestations of tomato fruitworms can destroymore than 50 percent of a tomato crop if not con-trolled. Control: Bt kurstaki*, spinosad*, carbaryl, permethrin,bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, esfenvalerateCorn can be partially protected by spraying with arecommended insecticide at three- to five-day inter-vals, beginning at first silk. Begin treating tomatoesafter they begin to bloom and set fruit. Spray atseven- to ten-day intervals. Most of the recommend-ed insecticides can be tank mixed with tomato fungi-cides, but check the labels of both products beforetank mixing. Large caterpillars that have bored intofruit are difficult to control. The goal is to controlsmall, newly hatched caterpillars before they have achance to cause damage.

SQUASH VINE BORERS: attack squash, pumpkins,and other cucurbits.This is the insect that causeslarge squash and pumpkinplants to wilt suddenly anddie. It occasionally attacks othercucurbits. The adult is a reddish-orange, day-flying moth with blackwings. Moths are often mistaken for paperwasps, which they resemble. The moths lay theireggs on leaves and leaf petioles. The larvae bore intothe plant as soon as they hatch. The caterpillars thenmake their way toward the base of the plant, feedingand growing as they go. Feeding by small larvaecauses little noticeable damage, but by the time theyhave reached the base of the plant and are longerthan one inch, the larvae are eating lots of plantmaterial. It is this girdling effect that causes plants towilt suddenly and die. Mature larvae leave the plantand tunnel into the soil before spinning cocoons.Management Practices: Plant early to avoid themuch heavier populations that occur in late season.Some types of squash are less susceptible than oth-ers. Yellow summer squash is highly preferred, butzucchini is less commonly attacked. Some types ofpumpkins (C. mixta) and winter squash (C. moschata)are also less susceptible than others. Promptlydestroying plants after final harvest, or plants thathave died, prevents many insects from completingdevelopment.Control: permethrin, esfenvalerate, bifenthrin,acetamiprid

It takes repeated insecticide sprays and thoroughcoverage to control squash vine borers with insecti-cides. You must control newly hatched larvae beforethey bore into the plant. Be sure to spray the vinesand base of the plant adequately, as well as leaf peti-oles and the undersides of leaves.

PICKLEWORMS: attack squash, pumpkins,cucumbers, and melons.Because pickleworms do not overwinterin Mississippi, they are mainly late-sea-son pests. The small larvae initiallyfeed on blooms, but large larvae oftenbore into fruit, creating small entranceholes plugged with frass. These entranceholes often go unnoticed when fruit is har-vested, resulting in fruit that rots while in storage.Squash and pumpkins are especially favored hosts.Melonworm is a closely related species that firstfeeds on leaves of cucurbits but also bores into fruit,similar to the pickleworm. On cantaloupe, thesepests usually feed on and scar the surface of the rindrather than boring into the fruit.Management Practices: Plant early to avoid heavypopulations of pickleworms and melonworms. Fallsquash and pumpkins are the crops most likely to beinfested with these pests.Control: permethrin, esfenvalerate, bifenthrinInsecticide sprays targeting squash vine borers alsocontrol pickleworms and melonworms.

ARMYWORMS: attack corn and othervegetables.Several species of armywormsoccur in the home vegetable gar-den. These include beet army-worms, yellowstriped armyworms,Southern armyworms, and fall army-worms. Armyworms are robust cater-pillars approximately 11⁄2 inch long whenmature. Except for the fall armyworm, the bodies ofthese caterpillars are smooth and hairless. The fallarmyworm appears slick bodied, but close examina-tion reveals a few stiff hairs on the body.Armyworms are mainly leaf-feeders, but somespecies occasionally damage fruit.

Fall armyworms are particularly a problem onlate-planted corn, causing damage by feeding in thewhorls of pre-tasseling plants or by chewing into thesides of ears on more mature plants. Yellowstripedarmyworms are present in early spring and oftencause minor defoliation damage to seedling toma-toes, okra, beans, and other plants. Occasionally, yel-lowstriped armyworm larvae also feed directly onfruit. Because armyworm moths lay their eggs inlarge clusters, you often see large numbers of cater-pillars on one plant or in a small area of the garden.

10

pickleworm

fall armyworm

squash vine borer

Management Practices: Plant corn early to avoidheavy populations of fall armyworms in late season.Row covers can help prevent moths from laying eggson young plants. Hand-picking egg masses can alsobe helpful, but most egg masses are on the under-sides of leaves where they are difficult to detect.Control: spinosad*, Bt kurstaki*, carbaryl, permethrinCarbaryl or permethrin can be effective against verysmall, newly hatched caterpillars, but spinosad ismore effective against larger caterpillars. Bts are gen-erally less effective against armyworms than againstother caterpillar pests. When treating whorl stagecorn, be sure to direct sprays into the whorl.

DIAMONDBACK MOTHS: attack collards, cabbage,broccoli, and other brassicas.Mature specimens of this small,green caterpillar are less than one-half of an inch long, but they arestill significant pests of collards,cabbage, and other crucifers. The

caterpillars tend to be very activewhen handled, often wiggling violently

and/or flipping off the plant. The small,silken cocoons are attached to the undersides of

leaves or in the heads of broccoli or cauliflower. Themoths are only about one-fourth of an inch long andare gray with a tan border down the middle of theback that often looks like a row of overlapping dia-mond shapes. Heavy infestations can cause severedefoliation. Plants that are severely defoliated in theseedling stage may fail to form proper heads.Collards and cabbage are the most preferred hosts.This pest may be present year-round, especially inthe southern portions of the state. Management Practices: Avoid unnecessary insecti-cide use, which can disrupt beneficial insects.Control: spinosad*, Bt kurstaki*The diamondback moth is resistant to many insecti-cides, including Bts. Avoid repetitive use of any sin-gle active ingredient. Use enough spray to get thor-ough coverage, and be sure to cover undersides ofleaves.

IMPORTED CABBAGEWORMS:attack cabbage, collards, broccoli, andother crucifers.Imported cabbagewormcaterpillars are green withyellow markings, and theirskin has a velvety texture.Mature larvae are slightly longerthan one inch. The adult butterflieshave a wingspan of about two inches.The wings are white on top with black tips and a fewblack spots, but the undersides are pale yellow.These caterpillars eat the leaves and bore into theheads of mature plants. Even low populations can

cause fecal contamination. Severe defoliation can killyoung plants or interfere with proper head forma-tion, and heavy infestations can destroy large plants.This insect is most common during the cooler partsof the year, which is when most cole crops aregrown. Several other related caterpillar species alsooccur on cruciferous plants.Management Practices: Row covers can help pre-vent butterflies from laying eggs on young plants.Control: spinosad*, Bt kurstaki*Check newly transplanted plants frequently,and treat at first signs of caterpillarinfestation.

LOOPERS: attack cabbage, collards,broccoli, other brassicas, and othervegetables.Several species of loopers occur inthe home vegetable garden, but thecabbage looper is the most common.Loopers have fewer prolegs than othercaterpillars, and they move in a looping,inchworm-like manner. Cabbage looper larvae arepale green with a white stripe down their sides, andmature larvae are about 11⁄2 inch long. These caterpil-lars often rest by grasping the leaf with the prolegs,located near the rear of the body, and holding thehead and true legs away from the leaf surface.Damage is from defoliation and fecal contamination.Cabbage and other crucifers are the primary cropscabbage loopers attack, but they can damage othervegetables, such as lettuce, tomatoes, and watermel-ons. Newly hatched caterpillars often feed on thebottom side of the leaf, leaving the transparent upperepidermis intact. This creates a windowpane effect,and these windowpane areas can be an early warn-ing of looper infestations. The night-flying mothshave gray wings with a silver, figure-eight-shapedspot in the center of each forewing.Management Practices: Row covers can help pre-vent the moths from laying eggs on young plants.Control: spinosad*, Bt kurstaki*Check newly transplanted plants frequently, andtreat at first signs of caterpillar infestation.

WIREWORMS: damage roots of seedling plants; alsodamage Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes.Wireworms are primarily a problem in new gardensplanted on sites where pastures, lawns, or othergrasses were recently growing. They are the larvae ofclick beetles. Wireworms have tough, shiny, brown,segmented bodies and cause damage by feeding onroots and boring into roots, tubers, and stems. Theyare rarely a serious problem on established, well-keptgarden sites. Management Practices: Avoid planting on siteswhere established pasture or grasses have beenrecently growing. When possible, use tillage or herbi-

11

imported

cabbageworm

cabbage looper

diamondback

moth larva

cides to kill grasses growing on new garden sitesseveral months before planting the garden. Till gar-den site several weeks before planting.Control: bifenthrinApply bifenthrin granules (Monterey VegetableGarden Soil Insecticide or Ortho Bug-B-Gon MaxInsect Killer Granules for Lawns) according to labeldirections just before planting or shortly after plantsemerge. Incorporate into the top four to six inches ofsoil.

MOLE CRICKETS: damage roots of seedling plants.Mole crickets are common pests of lawns and turf inthe southern half of the state. These insects tunneljust under the surface of the soil, leaving trails thatresemble miniature mole tunnels. They occasionallycause damage in South Mississippi gardens, especial-ly on sites with sandy soil. Damage occurs whenlarge numbers of nymphs tunnel through soil,destroying roots with their tunneling activity andtheir feeding on roots of young plants. Mole cricketshave only one generation per year and overwinter aspartly grown nymphs. Most damage is caused byoverwintered nymphs as they feed actively in thespring in preparation for adulthood. Mole cricketnymphs usually invade garden sites from surround-ing lawns and turf.Management Practices: Till the garden site severalweeks before planting. Proactively control molecrickets in turf areas immediately surrounding thegarden. See Publication 2331 Control Insect Pests inand Around the Home Lawn for information on molecricket control in turf and proper timing for molecricket treatments. Do not apply insecticides directlyto the garden site unless the label specifically allowsapplication around garden vegetables.Control: bifenthrinApply bifenthrin granules (Monterey VegetableGarden Soil Insecticide or Ortho Bug-B-Gon MaxInsect Killer Granules for Lawns) according to labeldirections just before planting or shortly after plantsemerge. Incorporate into the top four to six inches ofsoil.

Insecticides for Home Vegetable GardensThis section provides general information about

some of the more common insecticides labeled foruse in the home vegetable garden. See the chart atthe end of this publication for insecticide recommen-dations for specific pests.

Use insecticides safely! Before using any insecti-cide, always read the label carefully, and follow alldirections for personal protection equipment andinstructions for mixing and applying the product.The label is the law, and the use directions it specifiesare for the safety of the applicator, the environment,and those using the area. Handle insecticides with

the respect they deserve. They are poisons, andexcessive exposure can result in acute and/or chronichealth problems.

Be sure the insecticide is labeled for use on thevegetable being treated. Few insecticides are labeledfor use on every vegetable crop grown in the garden.Before applying an insecticide to a particular crop, besure to read the label and verify that the product islabeled for use on that crop.

Observe the pre-harvest interval. The pre-har-vest interval, or PHI, is how much time must passbetween making an insecticide application and har-vesting the crop. PHIs vary greatly, depending on theinsecticide you’re using and the vegetable cropyou’re treating. For example, the PHI for carbaryl(Sevin) is three days for tomatoes and cabbage but 14days for collards.

Observe the re-entry interval. The re-entry inter-val is how much time must pass between making aninsecticide application and re-entering the area with-out protective equipment to do work such as weed-ing, pruning, or staking.

Specific InsecticidesInsecticides marked with an asterisk (*) are suit-

able for organic gardening.

Carbaryl – most commonly sold under the brandname Sevin. Carbaryl has been a standard for insectcontrol in home vegetable gardens for many years. Itis effective against a wide range of pests and islabeled for use on most vegetables. It is especiallyuseful against many beetles. However, when usedexcessively, carbaryl does tend to cause a flare in spi-der mite populations.

Malathion – another long-time standard insecticideused in home vegetable gardens. Like carbaryl, itcontrols a wide range of pests and is labeled on mostvegetables. It is especially useful to control aphids,“bugs,” and certain beetles.

Bt kurstaki* – Bacillus thuringiensis is a bacteriumthat produces compounds toxic to certain insectspecies. Different species and strains of this bacteri-um produce different toxins. Bt kurstaki produces acompound that is toxic to caterpillars but has noeffect on other insect species. Thuricide andMonterey B.t. are two of the more common brandnames under which this product is sold. It is mosteffective against leaf-feeding caterpillars, such asloopers and diamondback moths.

Spinosad* – a relatively new microbial insecticidethat is very effective against most caterpillar pests.Two commonly available brand names labeled foruse on many different vegetable crops are Monterey

12

Garden Insect Spray and Fertilome Bore, Bagworm,Leafminer, and Tent Caterpillar Spray. Spinosad iseffective against most caterpillar pests, but it is noteffective against most other types of insects. It iseffective against thrips, leaf miners, and Coloradopotato beetles. Certain formulations of spinosad areacceptable for use by organic gardeners. GreenlightLawn & Garden Spinosad Concentrate and Bulls-EyeBioinsecticide are liquid formulations of organicspinosad products packaged for homeowners.Greenlight Fire Ant Bait with Conserve and SaferFire Ant Bait are granular baits approved for organicfire ant control. These spinosad-based baits are thebest option for organic fire ant control.

Acetamiprid – especially effective against white-flies and aphids and labeled for control of manyother pests. Ortho Max Flower Fruit and VegetableInsect Killer is one common brand name. It is avail-able as a concentrate and as a pre-mixed ready-to-usespray.

Imidacloprid – a soil-applied systemic insecticidethat is especially useful against whiteflies, aphids,and cucumber beetles. It is applied as a soil drenchshortly after transplanting or seedling emergence.Do not make more than one application per year,and do not harvest within 21 days after application.Bayer Fruit, Citrus, & Vegetable Insect Control is acommon brand name that is labeled for use onmany vegetables.

Insecticidal Soap* – (or potassium salts of fattyacids) control the insects they contact by disruptingcell membranes. They are most effective against soft-bodied pests, such as aphids, mites, and thrips.Thorough coverage of the pest is necessary toachieve control. Insecticidal soaps have a short pre-harvest interval and are labeled for use on most veg-etables. Safer Insecticidal Soap is an example of onebrand name.

Neem Oil* – a botanical product useful primarilyagainst aphids, mites, and whiteflies. Neem oil islabeled for use on most vegetables and is sold underseveral brand names (Monterey 70% Neem Oil is oneexample). Thorough coverage of the pest is necessaryfor control.

Azadirachtin* – an organic product labeled for useon all vegetables, with a zero-day PHI. Azatrol is thebrand name most often used by home gardeners, butseveral other commercial formulations are available.Azadirachtin has activity against a wide range ofinsect pests but is most useful against soft-bodiedsucking pests, like whiteflies and aphids. Althoughazadirachtin and neem oil both come from the seedof the neem tree, they are not the same product.

Pyrethrin* – (or pyrethrum) a botanical insecticideused primarily by organic gardeners. Pyrethrin pro-vides rapid knockdown of most insects, but insectsoften recover. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) is oftenmixed with pyrethrin to act as a synergist. It increas-es the overall effectiveness and helps prevent pestsfrom recovering, but PBO is not acceptable for organ-ic gardening. Pyrethrin or pyrethrin + PBO is activeagainst a wide range of insects, is labeled for use onmost vegetables, and has a very short pre-harvestinterval, but its efficacy is limited by its very shortresidual activity. Pyganic Crop Protection EC 1.4 isone example of a pyrethrin product that does notcontain PBO. Bonide Pyrethrin Garden Insect SprayConcentrate is an example of a pyrethrin productsynergized with PBO.

Pyrethroids – a group of relatively new syntheticinsecticides modeled after the botanical pyrethrummolecule. Pyrethroids are effective against a widerange of insect pests and are used at very low rates.The following pyrethroid insecticides are currentlylabeled for use in the home vegetable garden.

Permethrin: the oldest and most common ofthe pyrethroid insecticides. Permethrin is wide-ly available and is sold under many differentbrand names (Martin’s Vegetables Plus; BonideEight Insect Control Concentrate; and Hi-YieldGarden, Pet, & Livestock Insect Control arethree examples). Permethrin is labeled for useon many different vegetable crops and is effec-tive against many beetle, bug, and caterpillarpests.

Bifenthrin: an especially useful pyrethroid forcrops on which it is labeled, but it is notlabeled on all vegetable crops. Ortho Bug-B-Gon Insect Killer for Lawns and Gardens is acommonly available band name. Bifenthrin isless likely than most other pyrethroids to trig-ger outbreaks of spider mites or aphids.

Cyhalothrin: Lambda cyhalothrin is one of thenewer pyrethroid insecticides (SpectracideTriazicide Insect Killer for Lawns andLandscapes is the most common brand name).It is effective against a number of differentinsect pests, but it is labeled for use on only afew vegetable crops.

Esfenvalerate: one of the older pyrethroidinsecticides. Esfenvalerate is labeled for use onmany different vegetable crops and controls awide range of insect pests. Monterey BugBuster II is one common brand name.

13

Applying Insecticides in the Home Vegetable Garden

There are several different methods of applyinginsecticides to vegetables in the home garden. Dusts,ready-to-use sprays, and liquid sprays are three ofthe most common.

DustsA few insecticides are available as ready-to-use

dust formulations (5% Sevin Dust and 0.25% perme-thrin are two examples). You usually apply dustswith a shaker can or a hand-powered, pump-typeduster. Often the container the insecticide comes in ismodified for use as a shaker can. Dusts are conven-ient to apply, but generally they don’t work as wellas sprays. It is also difficult to get thorough, uniformcoverage with dusts, especially when you use theshaker can method of application. Also, many peopleconsider dusts to be unsightly.

Ready-to-Use SpraysSeveral insecticides are sold as ready-to-use

(RTU) sprays labeled for the home garden.Permethrin, carbaryl, cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, andneem oil are examples of active ingredients sold asRTUs. They come in trigger-pump spray bottles inwhich the product has already been diluted to itsfinal use strength. They are convenient for applyingspot treatments to individual plants, but they are toocostly and time-consuming to use on a large scale.

Single Nozzle Hand-Pump SprayersSingle nozzle hand-pump sprayers are the most

common way to apply insecticides in the home gar-den. They range in capacity from one quart to fivegallons, with one gallon being the most commonsize. You can apply liquid concentrate, wettable pow-der, or wettable granule insecticides according tolabel directions. Here is an example of the directionsthat might appear on the label of a liquid concen-trate: “Mix one tablespoon/gallon of water andspray to run-off, taking care to direct spray to under-sides of leaves.”

Hand-pump sprayers are powered by pumpingair into the headspace over the insecticide mixture.This compressed air then forces the insecticidespray through the nozzle when the spray valve isopened. Most hand sprayers have an adjustablenozzle you can use to adjust how coarse or fine thespray droplets are. Be sure to rinse the sprayer thor-oughly after each use. To avoid injuring crops, donot apply insecticides with a sprayer that was pre-viously used to apply herbicide. It is best to haveone sprayer specifically for herbicide use and anoth-er for applying insecticides and fungicides. Labeleach sprayer clearly.

Always carefully read and follow the insecticide label.

14

Insecticides for Insect Control in Home Vegetable GardensInsecticides are listed by active ingredient. See the section “Specific Insecticides” on pages 12 to 13 for examples of brandname products that contain these active ingredients and more detailed information about active ingredients.

*(PHI): Pre-harvest interval. The numbers in parentheses indicate the pre-harvest interval, or the number of days that must elapsebetween treatment and harvest. Always verify PHIs from the label of the insecticide being used.

Crop Pest Insecticide (PHI)*

Beans Aphids azadirachtin (0), malathion (1), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA), acetamiprid (7)

(lima beans, Spider mites insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

snap beans, Bean leaf beetles esfenvalerate (3), bifenthrin (3), carbaryl (3), malathion (3)

pole beans) Cucumber beetles

Mexican bean beetles

Cowpea curculios esfenvalerate (3), carbaryl (3), bifenthrin (3)

Corn earworms esfenvalerate (3), bifenthrin (3), spinosad (3)

Lima bean pod borers

Other caterpillars

Leaf miners spinosad (3)

Stink bugs malathion (1), carbaryl (3), bifenthrin (3), pyrethrins (0)

Plant bugs

Broccoli, Aphids acetamiprid (7), malathion (broccoli = 3; cauliflower = 7), insecticidal

Cauliflower soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1), permethrin (1), cyhalothrin (1)

Diamondback moths

Other caterpillars

Harlequin bugs carbaryl (3), cyhalothrin (1), malathion (broccoli = 3; cauliflower = 7),

Stink bugs bifenthrin (7), permethrin (1)

Brussels Sprouts Aphids acetamiprid (7), malathion (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Diamondback moths

Other caterpillars

Harlequin bugs carbaryl (3), cyhalothrin (1), malathion (7), permethrin (1)

Stink bugs

Cabbage Aphids acetamiprid (7), malathion (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Thrips

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Diamondback moths

Cabbageworms

Harlequin bugs carbaryl (3), cyhalothrin (1), malathion (7), permethrin (1), bifenthrin (3)

Stink bugs

15

16

Collards Aphids malathion (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA), acetamiprid (7)

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Diamondback moths

Harlequin bugs malathion (7), carbaryl (14)

Stink bugs

Corn Cutworms carbaryl (2), bifenthrin (1), cyhalothrin (21), esfenvalerate (1),

permethrin (1)

Chinch bugs carbaryl (2), bifenthrin (1), cyhalothrin (21), esfenvalerate (1),

Stink bugs malathion (5), permethrin (1)

Corn earworms carbaryl (2), bifenthrin (1), cyhalothrin (21), esfenvalerate (1),

Fall armyworms malathion (5), permethrin (1), pyrethrins (0), spinosad (1)

European corn borers

Eggplant Flea beetles carbaryl (3), malathion (3), bifenthrin (7), permethrin (3)

Colorado potato beetles spinosad (1), carbaryl (3), permethrin (3), bifenthrin (7), acetamiprid (7)

Tortoise beetles

Irish Potatoes Colorado potato beetles spinosad (7), carbaryl (7), permethrin (7), acetamiprid (7)

Blister beetles carbaryl (7), permethrin (7)

Flea beetles

Potato tuberworms permethrin (7)

Leaf miners spinosad (7)

Lettuce Aphids malathion (head lettuce = 7; leaf lettuce = 14), insecticidal soap (1),

neem oil (NA)

Caterpillars Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1), permethrin (1), cyhalothrin (1)

Melons Thrips permethrin (1), esfenvalerate (3), spinosad (3), bifenthrin (3)

Cucumber beetles permethrin (1), esfenvalerate (3), bifenthrin (3), carbaryl (3), malathion (1)

Flea beetles

Leafminers spinosad (3)

Loopers spinosad (3), Bt kurstaki (0)

Pickleworms permethrin (1), esfenvalerate (3), bifenthrin (3), spinosad (3), carbaryl (3)

Melonworms

Whiteflies azadirachtin (0), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Spider mites malathion (1), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Mustard Aphids malathion (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Diamondback moths

Vegetable weevils malathion (7), carbaryl (14)

17

Okra Aphids azadirachtin (0), acetamiprid (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA),

malathion (1)

Stink bugs malathion (1), pyrethrins (0)

Leaffooted bugs bifenthrin (7)

Corn earworms spinosad (1), bifenthrin (7)

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Other caterpillars

Onions Onion thrips malathion (3), cyhalothrin (14), insecticidal soap (1), spinosad (1)

Peas, Southern Aphids azadirachtin (0), malathion (3), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA), acetamiprid (7)

(cowpeas, field peas, Spider mites malathion (3), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

black-eyed peas, Bean leaf beetles carbaryl (3), malathion (3), bifenthrin (3)

crowder peas) Cucumber beetles

Mexican bean beetles

Cowpea curculios carbaryl (3), bifenthrin (3)

Corn earworms spinosad (3), bifenthrin (3)

Lima bean pod borers

Other caterpillars

Stink bugs malathion (3), carbaryl (3), pyrethrins (0), bifenthrin (3)

Plant bugs

Peas, Sweet/English Aphids azadirachtin (0), malathion (3), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA), acetamiprid (7)

(English peas, Thrips malathion (3), spinosad (3)

sweet peas, Caterpillar pests spinosad (3), Bt kurstaki (0)

snow peas) Leaf miners spinosad (3)

Peppers Aphids azadirachtin (0), acetamiprid (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA),

malathion (1), pyrethrins (0)

Leafminers spinosad (1)

Flea beetles carbaryl (3), permethrin (3)

European corn borers cyfluthrin (7), esfenvalerate (7), permethrin (3), spinosad (1)

Thrips malathion (3), esfenvalerate (7), permethrin (3), spinosad (1)

Spider mites malathion (3), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Pepper weevils malathion (3), permethrin (3)

Spinach Aphids malathion (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Leafminers spinosad (1)

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Other caterpillars

18

Squash, Squash bugs carbaryl (3), bifenthrin (3), esfenvalerate (3), malathion (squash – 1;

Pumpkin pumpkin = 3), permethrin (1), pyrethrins (0), insecticidal soap (1), acetamiprid (0)

Squash vine borers bifenthrin (3), permethrin (1), esfenvalerate (3), acetamiprid (0)

Pickleworms bifenthrin (3), permethrin (1), esfenvalerate (3), carbaryl (3), malathion

(squash = 1; pumpkin = 3)

Cucumber beetles bifenthrin (3), permethrin (1), esfenvalerate (3), carbaryl (3), malathion

(squash = 1; pumpkin = 3), acetamiprid (0)

Spider mites insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Sweet Potatoes Armyworms spinosad (7)

Loopers

Flea beetles carbaryl (7), permethrin (7)

Cucumber beetles

Tortoise beetles

Sweet potato weevils carbaryl (7); Stored sweet potatoes may be treated with phosmet

(Imidan dust) according to label.

Tomatoes Tomato fruitworms Bt kurstaki (0), carbaryl (3), bifenthrin (1), cyhalothrin (5),

Tomato hornworms esfenvalerate (1), malathion (1), permethrin (1), pyrethrins (0), spinosad (1)

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Stink bugs carbaryl (3), bifenthrin (1), cyhalothrin (5), malathion (1),

Leaffooted bugs cyhalothrin (5), permethrin (1), pyrethrins (0)

Spider mites insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Thrips carbaryl (3), bifenthrin (1), cyhalothrin (5), esfenvalerate (1),

malathion (1), permethrin (1), pyrethrins (0), spinosad (1)

Whiteflies azadirachtin (0), acetamiprid (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA),

insecticidal oil

Leafminers spinosad (1)

Aphids azadirachtin (0), acetamiprid (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA),

malathion (1), pyrethrins (0)

Turnips Aphids azadirachtin (0), malathion (7), insecticidal soap (1), neem oil (NA)

Vegetable weevils malathion (7), carbaryl (14)

Yellow-margined

leaf beetles

Flea beetles

Loopers Bt kurstaki (0), spinosad (1)

Diamondback moths

Copyright 2016 by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved. This publication may be copied and distributed withoutalteration for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Produced by Agricultural Communications.

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Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in fur-therance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. GARY B. JACKSON, Director

The information given here is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products, trade names, or suppliers are made with the under-standing that no endorsement is implied and that no discrimination is intended against other products or suppliers.

Publication 2347 (POD-04-16)

By Dr. Blake Layton, Extension Professor, Entomology.