Potato tuberworm—Phthorimaea operculella
Potato tuberworm larvae are dull white to pinkish and do not grow longer than 1/2 inch. They have dark heads. They are found tunneling in tubers, stems, fruit, or leaves.
Identification
Potato tuberworm can often be confused with tomato pinworm. Tomato pinworms may vary in color from gray to yellowish with red or purple around each segment. Pinworms are a problem only on tomatoes. They do not attack potatoes. Potato tuberworms can be distinguished by their dark heads.
Life cycle
Eggs are laid on tubers, foliage, plant debris, or soil. Moths will crawl through soil cracks to lay eggs on tubers beneath the soil. Worms tunnel into fruit or stalks or leaves.
Damage
In tomatoes, tuberworms burrow into fruit and into terminal stems, causing them to die. In potatoes,
they tunnel into tubers, stalks, and leaves. Tuber eyes turn pink with excrement and silk.
Solutions
Damage to tomatoes, eggplant, or peppers can be avoided by not planting these crops near infested potato crops or following a potato crop in a garden. In potatoes, keep plants deeply hilled with soil when planting. Don't allow soil to crack. Sprinkler irrigation will help keep soil surface sealed. Harvest potatoes promptly. Destroy infested tubers or store them at temperatures below 52°F to prevent tuberworm development.
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Adult potato tuberworm
Potato
tuberworm larva
Tuber
damage in potatoes
Damaged stem
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