• Peach twig borer

  General The peach twig borer, Anarsia lineatella, is a pest of peach and also attacks apricots and almonds. It occurs in Europe, North Africa, North America, and Asia. Damage symptoms The tips of attacked shoots wither and die but this is generally only a problem in nurseries and young orchards. Infested fruits develop large necrotic areas and become distorted. Attacked apricots exude large quantities of gum. Attacks on fruits can cause significant

• Boisduval scale

  General These three species of Diaspi s are very similar in their appearance and damage symptoms. Here, the Boisduval scale is described in more detail, as it is the most important one. The Boisduval scale, Diaspis boisduvalii , occurs throughout the tropics, and in greenhouses in more temperate climates. It is very polyphagous and can be a pest of orchids, palms, pineapples, bananas and many other plants. Damage symptoms The first sign of Boisduval

• Tomato looper

  General The golden twin-spot moth or tomato looper ( Chrysodeixis chalcites ) belongs to the family of Noctuidae . It is a tropical and subtropical species originating in the Mediterranean and northern Africa. The larva is highly polyphagous and feeds on plants of over 20 families, among them crops such as cauliflower , corn, crucifer, soybean , potato , strawberry , banana , sweet pepper and tomato but also chrysanthemum and geranium. An annual

• 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 species are mainly found in commercial mushroom cultivation where they can cause enormous damage. Sciarid flies are usually found in damp, humid environments, and appear very commonly in greenhouses throughout the world. Although they generally do little harm to healthy plants, sciarid

• Tomato moth

  General The tomato moth (Lacanobia oleracea) is a particularly a pest in greenhouses but can also inflict damage on outdoor crops. It is a polyphagous species feeding on plants of 14 families including crop species such a tomato, sweet pepper , lettuce , brassicas, cucumber , cut flowers (particularly chrysanthemums), apple as well as perennial and woody shrubs and trees. The tomato moth ( Lacanobia oleracea) is found throughout Europe, North Africa

• Tomato pinworm

  General The tomato pinworm mainly attacks tomato, but it can also survive in other Solanaceae species, especially eggplant and potato . It is frequently confused with similar species that might be present, with which it shares similar habits. Due to the initial damage of the larva which forms a mine, it can be confused with the eggplant leafminer (Gnorimoschema glochinella). For control, pheromones are usually used to disrupt the mating of adults,

• Tomato leaf miner

  General The tomato leaf miner (Liriomyza bryoniae) has many host plants and has caused crop damage in many parts of the world, including North Africa, Europe and northern Asia. In warmer regions, the insect is found outdoors but in temperate regions it only occurs in greenhouses. The tomato leaf miner has been found in greenhouses for decades, but has become a common pest since the 1960’s, particularly in sweet pepper , lettuce , melon , chrysanthemum

• Tomato leafminer

  General The tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta), a major pest of field- and greenhouse-grown tomatoes, belongs to the family of Gelechiidae . It is oligophagous, feeding mainly on Solanaceae species . The main host is tomato but it also feeds on other solanaceous crop plants including potato , eggplant , capsicum pepper and tobacco as well as weeds such as Datura stramonium, Lycium chilense , and Solanum nigrum. Damage symptoms The most

• Vine mealybug

  General The vine mealybug Planococcus ficus belongs to the family Pseudococcidae, and is also known by the names Mediterranean vine mealybug and Grapevine mealybug. As the name indicates, this mealybug is mostly found on grapevines, but also on figs and pomegranates. Damage symptoms Mealybugs inflict damage on the crop in various ways: Nymphs and females extract the sap from the plant, stunting growth and causing deformation and / or yellowing of

• Corn earworm

  Overview The corn earworm is a major pest affecting over 100 crops, of which the most prominent varieties are corn, sorghum, cotton, aubergine, pepper, and tomato. They primarily feed on flowers and fruit from the host plant, as well as on the corn of immature cobs and ears. Adults of corn earworm are nocturnal, since they react to light radiation at night and are attracted to light traps, especially using ultraviolet light. This capture method,