Description of the Pest
Tomato fruitworm adults are medium-sized moths with a wing span of about 1 to 1.3 inch (25-35 mm). They are pale tan to medium brown, or sometimes have a slight greenish tinge. The front wings are variously marked and usually have an obscure dark spot in the center and a lighter band inside a dark band around the tip. The hind wings are drab white and have a dark gray band around their tip. A diffuse light spot is in the center of the dark band.
At hatching, tomato fruitworm larvae are creamy white caterpillars with a black head and conspicuous black tubercles and hairs. Larger larvae vary in color from yellowish green to nearly black and develop fine white lines along the body but retain the black spots at the base of bristlelike hairs. Older larvae also have patches of stubby spines on their body segments that are much shorter than the bristles and can be seen best with the use of a hand lens.
Eggs are tiny, hemispherical, and slightly flattened on top with coarse striations or ribs running from base to tip. They are easy to confuse with looper eggs, but looper eggs have fine striations. Fruitworm eggs are laid singly on both upper and lower surfaces of the leaves usually in the upper part of the plant. When first laid they are creamy white, but develop a reddish brown ring after 24 hours.
Damage
Soon after hatching, the larvae burrow into the fruit, usually near the calyx, and remain inside, feeding on the flesh. Infested fruit decay, turn red, and fall off the plant early, reducing yield. Larvae consume very little foliage.
Management
Regular monitoring of pepper fields is important in detecting and managing this pest. Weed control, site location, and biological control are important in reducing the potential for damage. Insecticide treatment may be necessary when monitoring indicates a need.
Cultural Control
These insects have a wide host range. Weed control in the area can help to reduce the population; however, the moths can fly great distances. Avoid planting peppers near field corn or garbanzo beans.
Biological Control
Tomato fruitworm eggs can be heavily parasitized by Trichogramma pretiosum. Experimental releases of Trichogramma have resulted in control of fruitworm on pole tomatoes. Parasitized eggs are completely black. When any eggs are found they should be held in vials for several days to determine the level of parasitism. The parasitic wasp, Hyposoter exiguae, attacks fruitworm larvae and can reduce fruitworm populations considerably; however, often the worm will die inside the fruit and the parasite cocoon remains in the fruit as a contaminant.
Organically Acceptable Methods
Cultural and biological control and sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis or the Entrust formulation of spinosad are acceptable for use in an organically certified crop.
Monitoring and Treatment Decisions
Start monitoring for tomato fruitworm at the seedling stage and continue through harvest. Inspect the upper part of the plants for fruitworm eggs. Examine the eggs closely with a hand lens to determine the stage of development of the larvae and check for parasitism. If necessary, treat within 2 to 3 days after the head capsule has formed. There are no treatment thresholds.
Timing of sprays is critical because the worms enter the fruit shortly after hatching and are thus susceptible to the pesticide for only a brief period. In peppers grown for fresh market consumption and where fruit aesthetics are paramount, treatments may be needed when egg laying is documented.
Pesticides and Natural Enemy Releases
Not all registered pesticides are listed. The following are ranked by their IPM value, with the most effective and least harmful to natural enemies, honey bees, and the environment listed at the top of the table. When choosing a pesticide, consider information related to water and air quality, resistance management, and the pesticide's properties and application timing. Use PestManage to compare summarized management options for different pests in the same crop. Always carefully read the label of the product being used and take all necessary precautions when handling pesticides.
| Rank | Active ingredient | Example trade name | Group | Group Order | MoA 1 | Amount per acre | REI (hours) ‡ | PHI (days) ‡ | Comments | Selectivity 2 | Bees 3 | Predatory mites 4 | Predators 5 | Parasitoids 5 | Residue duration 6 | Leaching(fish) 7 | Adsorbed runoff(fish) 8 | Solution runoff(human) 9 | Leaching(human) 10 | Solution runoff(human) 11 | Last updated 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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various products # | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
11A |
Label rates | 4 | 0 | Must be consumed by the larva to be effe... | narrow | low | low | low | short | — | — | — | — | — | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Coragen | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
28 |
3.5–5.0 fl oz | 4 | 1 | May be applied as either a foliar spray... | narrow | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Voliam Xpress | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
28/3A |
6.0–9.0 fl oz | 24 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 06/2016 | |
|
|
Voliam Flexi | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
28/4A |
4.0–7.0 oz | 12 | 1 | Review and follow the California neonico... | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Exirel | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
28 |
7–13.5 fl oz | 12 | 1 | Highly toxic to bees; do not spray direc... | narrow | — | — | — | — | very low | very low | low | low | low | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Verimark | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
28 |
5–10 fl oz | 4 | 1 | Highly toxic to bees; do not spray direc... | narrow | — | — | — | — | very low | very low | low | low | low | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Asana XL | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
3A |
5.8–9.6 fl oz | 12 | 7 | Do not apply more than 0.35 lbs a.i./acr... | broad | high | moderate | high | moderate | high | intermediate | extra high | low | intermediate | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Avaunt | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
22A |
3.5 oz | 12 | 3 | Minimum interval between sprays is 5 day... | narrow | — | low | low | moderate | low | low | intermediate | very low | low | 06/2016 | ||
| Lannate LV | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
1A |
0.75–1.5 pt | 48 | 3 | Do not use if psyllids are present. High... | broad | high | high | high | moderate | — | — | — | — | — | 06/2016 | |||
| Lannate SP | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
1A |
0.25–0.5 lb | 48 | 3 | Do not use if psyllids are present. High... | broad | high | high | high | moderate | — | — | — | — | — | 06/2016 | |||
|
|
Intrepid 2F | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
18 |
10–16 fl oz | 4 | 1 | An insect growth regulator. Apply at the... | narrow | low | low | low | short | very low | low | low | very low | low | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Radiant SC | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
5 |
5–10 fl oz | 4 | 1 | Toxic to bees; do not spray directly or... | narrow | moderate | moderate 13 | low/moderate | moderate 14 | low | low | low | very low | low | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Entrust # | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
5 |
1–2 oz | 4 | 1 | Use higher rate for larger worms and hea... | narrow | moderate | moderate 13 | low/moderate | moderate 13 | very low | low | low | very low | low | 06/2016 | ||
|
|
Success | Application Timing Varies (See UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines and Label) | 8 |
5 |
3–6 oz | 4 | 1 | Use higher rate for larger worms and hea... | narrow | moderate | moderate 13 | low/moderate | moderate 13 | very low | low | low | very low | low | 06/2016 |
Legend
- ‡ a b Restricted entry interval (REI) is the number of hours (unless otherwise noted) from treatment until the treated area can be safely entered without personal protective equipment. Preharvest interval (PHI) is the number of days from treatment to harvest. In some cases, the REI exceeds the PHI. The longer of the two intervals is the minimum time that must elapse before harvest.
- * a b Permit required from county agricultural commissioner for purchase or use.
- # a b Acceptable for use on certified organic crops. Check with your certifier to confirm before application.
- 1 ↩ Group numbers for insecticides and miticides are assigned by the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC). Insecticides with unknown modes of action are assigned mode-of-action group numbers (MoAs) that begin with UN. Rotate pesticides with a different mode-of-action group number, and do not use products with the same mode-of-action group number more than twice per season to help prevent the development of resistance. For example, the organophosphates have a group number of 1B; insecticides with a 1B group number should be alternated with insecticides that have a group number other than 1B.
- 2 ↩ Range of insect and mite groups affected by a pesticide. Broad means the pesticide affects most groups of insects and mites; narrow means the pesticide affects only a few specific groups.
- 3 ↩ Risk of harm to honey bees. For more information, see Bee Precaution Pesticide Ratings.
- 4 ↩ Risk of harm to predatory mites. Toxicities are generally to western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis. Where differences have been measured in toxicity of the pesticide-resistant strain versus the native strain, these are listed as pesticide-resistant strain or native strain.
- 5 a b Risk of harm to parasitoids and general predators. Toxicities are averages of reported effects and should be used only as a general guide. Actual toxicity of a specific insecticide depends on factors including the application rate, environmental conditions, and the life stage and species of a parasitoid or predator.
- 6 ↩ Length of time residue affects natural enemies. Short means hours to days; moderate means days to 2 weeks; and long means many weeks or months.
- 7 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from leaching, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
- 8 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from adsorbed runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
- 9 ↩ Risk of harm to fish from solution runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
- 10 ↩ Risk of harm to humans from leaching, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
- 11 ↩ Risk of harm to humans from solution runoff, based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Windows Pesticide Screening Tool (WIN-PST).
- 12 ↩ Date information was last updated in the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines.
- 13 a b c d e Toxic to some natural enemies (lacewing and syrphid fly larvae, predatory beetles, and thrips) when sprayed and up to 5 to 7 days after.
- 14 ↩ Residual is moderate if solution is between a pH of 7 and 8.
UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Peppers
UC ANR Publication 3460
E.T. Natwick (emeritus), UC Cooperative Extension Imperial County
J.T. Trumble, Entomology, UC Riverside
J.L. Aguiar, UC Cooperative Extension Riverside County
Acknowledgement for Contributions to Invertebrates
W.J. Bentley (emeritus), UC IPM and Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier
W.E. Chaney (emeritus), UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County
R.L. Coviello, UC Cooperative Extension Fresno County
C.F. Fouche, UC Cooperative Extension San Joaquin County
C.G. Summers (emeritus), Entomology, UC Davis and Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier
