Sciarid flies

General Sciarid flies constitute the family of Sciaridae. The species that cause most damage to crops belong to the genera Bradysia and Lycoriella . Lycoriella [...] flies The life cycle of sciarid flies has the following stages: egg, four larval instars, a pupal instar, and the adult. The adult insects are 1 to 5 mm [...] They occur the whole year round. The eggs are minute (0.1 to 0.25 mm) and yellowish white in colour. They are laid on the ground surface close to plant roots

Leaf miners

lost before the harvest is affected. The size of a leaf tunnel depends on the stage of development of the leaf, the species of host plant and the species of [...] miners belong to the order Diptera (the true flies ) and form the family Agromyzidae. This is a family of small flies whose larvae tunnel into the leaves of [...] enemies, allowing the leaf miner population to erupt into serious numbers. In addition, the pesticides used to control leaf miners disrupt the biological control

Beet armyworm

es for the growth of the crop. With a substantial population of caterpillars, the damage can spread to the stems, and in the worst cases to the fruit. [...] plants. In both the greenhouse and the field, it is a major pest of sweet pepper. Damage symptoms Older caterpillars migrate to the top of the plant where [...] where they feed mainly on the growing tips. They produce large holes in the leaf, sometimes stripping the leaf down to the mid-rib. Flowers and buds are also

Spider mites and other mites

During this stage, the larvae start to feed on plant sap and undergo molting to transition to the next stage. Nymph: After the first molt, the mite larvae become [...] n of the leaves, with the affected areas curling and twisting. This damage is caused by the mites feeding on the plant tissue, which disrupts the growth [...] and the availability of food. Here's an overview of the life cycle of plant mites: Egg: The life cycle begins with the female mite laying eggs. The eggs

Chafers

colour. The adult beetles fly in the evening, generally in June and July and land on trees to mate. During the night the females move to the ground to lay [...] General The chafers are beetles of the Scarabaeidae family. The larvae of both species live in the soil and feed on the roots of many plants. They are [...] their eggs. Eggs are shiny and white. The eggs hatch after about four weeks and the larvae start to feed on roots. The larvae are white-coloured, C-shaped

Aphids

throughout the world. Aphids form a single, very large group of insects: the super- family Aphidoidea, belonging to the order Hemiptera . The aphids discussed [...] cause damage to plants in several ways, and the damage can vary depending on the species of aphid and the type of plant being attacked. The following are [...] Aphids feed on the sap of plants, which can cause the leaves to turn yellow or become distorted. The damage is often more pronounced on the younger leaves

Japanese beetle

in the soil. In early spring, when the soil temperatures increase, the grubs move closer to the surface and resume feeding on plant roots at 2.5 to 5.0 [...] actions were taken to prevent further spread. The Japanese beetle is on the A2 list of the European Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). To prevent its further [...] outside the known area in Italy need to be reported to the National Plant Protection Authorities. Damage symptoms Skeletonized foliage is the most common

European corn borer

purplish brown to brownish and dark spots with a pale centre at the base of the hairs. The head is brown to brownish black. The pupae are up to 2 cm long and [...] light to dark reddish brown. In Europe, adults appear in June. The eggs are laid mainly on the underside of leaves. The larvae initially feed on the leaves [...] or on the apical part of maize ears. Larval tunnelling weakens the stalks and causes them to break during windy weather. Larval feeding inside the maize

Tarnished plant bug

injecting enzyme-filled saliva to break down the plant tissue and sucking out the contents. The following symptoms begin to appear a few weeks after feeding [...] General The lygus bug (or tarnished plant bug) is native to North America, and it is especially common across the eastern half of the continent, from northern [...] northern Canada to southern Mexico. It is one of the most damaging Hemiptera species, known to feed on almost all commercial crops. Lygus lineolaris boasts

Diamond back moth

antennae. The hindwings are narrow, pointed toward the apex. The tips of the wings appear to turn upward slightly when viewed from the side. In males, the upper [...] may occur in the florets. Initially, the pupa is pinkish-white to pinkish-yellow and changes to brown before adult emergence. The adult of the diamond back [...] and active. Except for the first instar, which mines in the leaf tissue, the larvae are voracious surface feeders. The pupae of the diamond back moth (Plutella