TOMATO FRUITWORM

a. Female moth (or adult) with wings spread; b, male moth with wings in natural position; c. eggs; d, larva; e, pupa (or transformation stage) in its cell in the soil; f larva feeding on tomato fruit, showing typical injury. (a, b, and f, about two-thirds natural size; c, about seven times natural size; e, about one and one-third natural size.)

TOMATO FRUITWORM

The tomato fruitworm, also known as the corn earworm and the bollworm, occurs all over the United States. It feeds on several crops, including tomatoes, cotton, and corn. In the Southern States and in California it is a serious pest of tomatoes ever), year. In the extreme South moths may emerge as early as January from their pupal cells, although most of them appear later in the spring. The female moth begins to lay eggs soon after she emerges. The eggs are somewhat smaller than a pinhead. She lays them singly on the leaves. As the larvae hatch they crawl over the leaves, feeding sparingly. They eventually find their way to the fruits, into which they cut holes or burrow, usually at the stem end. A worm may feed until full-grown upon a single tomato, or it may move from one tomato to another, injuring several before it completes its growth. The full-grown worm leaves the fruit and enters the soil, where it transforms into the pupal or resting stage. There may be two or more broods a season.

Control: Apply a dust containing 10 percent of either TDE or DDT. A corn-meal bait containing 10 percent of cryolite, scattered evenly over the leaves of the plants, will also give satisfactory control. In localities where the tomato russet mite occurs, the TDE or DDT dust should also contain at least 25 percent of sulfur, thus providing for the control of the mite as well as the tomato fruitworm.

Best results with either dusts or bait will be had if three applications are made the first when the plants are about 1 to 2 feet across and are beginning to set fruit, and the second and third applications after intervals of 14 days. The dusts should be applied at 30 pounds per acre, and the cornmeal mixture at 60 pounds per acre per application. The entire foliage should be covered, especially the growing tips and outer leaves of the plants. The dust should be applied with hand or power dusters. The corn-meal mixture may be scattered by hand. Remember that DDT, TDE, and cryolite are poisons. They may leave a residue, which should be removed by washing or wiping.