Fruits & Nuts

  • Corn earworm

    Helicoverpa zea Also known as tomato fruitworm and bollworm. Authors: David Riley, Alton Sparks, Phillip Roberts, Entomologists, University of Georgia, 2022 Description Immature stages: Eggs are pale green when laid, turning yellow and darkening with age. Eggs are flattened sphere shaped with ridges radiating from top-center. Larvae range in size (1.5 mm – 25 mm).…

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  • A small green sprig with red growths on ones of its buds.

    Ashfaq Sial, Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 2025 Blueberry bud mite, Acalitus vaccinii (Keifer) is a tiny eriophyid mite. If abundant, bud mites can abort flower buds producing symptoms that resemble cold injury or poor fruit set. Blueberry bud mites are roughly 125th inch long, white to translucent in color, and somewhat carrot-shaped, with the front end or head being a bit larger than the…

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  • A close-up shot of a fly on a white background. It is reddish-brown with red eyes and translucent wings.

    Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) Author: Ash Sial, Entomologist, University of Georgia, 2022 Description Immature stages: Larvae are white with a cylindrical body that tapers on one end, only 1/8”. Adult stages: Adults have a brownish-yellow thorax, black stripes across the abdomen, and distinct red eyes. Males have dark spots on wingtips and black combs on forelegs.…

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  • Blueberry gall midge

    A close-up of a light brown bug with six long legs and a dark brown head.

    Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson) Author: Craig Roubos, Ash Sial, Entomology, University of Georgia Description Immature stages: Eggs are oval-shaped, transparent and very small. Larvae are legless and white in color when newly hatched. As larvae mature, they darken and become orange by the time they are ready to pupate. Mature larvae have a unique feature called…

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  • Written by: Ash Sial, Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 2025 Scales are a large group of insects (superfamily Coccoidea) in order Hemiptera that are minute to small in size and sexually dimorphic – males and females are distinctly different in appearance (Daly et al. 1998). They have unusual lifecycle; females have incomplete metamorphosis (egg-immatures-adult),…

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  • Ashfaq A. Sial1, James Jacobs2, Zack Williams3, and Will Brown41Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, 2University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Pierce County, Blackshear, GA 31516, 3University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Bacon County, Alma, GA 31510, 4University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Appling County, Alma, GA 31510 Identification and Biology Flower thrips are chronic…

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  • Ash Sial1, James Jacobs2, and Zack Williams31Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 2UGA Extension, Pierce County, and 3UGA Extension, Bacon County Although blueberry gall midge has historically been referred to as a rabbiteye problem, recently it has been reported to be a concern in some southern highbush fields. The majority of the highbush infestations were primarily reported…

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  • Written By: Dr. Ash Sial, Entomologist, University of Georgia Blueberry bud mite, Acalitus vaccinii (Keifer) is a tiny eriophyid mite. If abundant, bud mites can abort flower buds producing symptoms that resemble cold injury or poor fruit set. Blueberry bud mites are roughly 125th inch long, white to translucent in color, and somewhat carrot-shaped, with…

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  • Dr. Ash Sial, Blueberry Entomologist and UGA IPM Program Coordinator Blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry growers throughout the southeast region and nationally are invited to attend an upcoming stakeholder listening session where they will be asked to share their experiences, concerns and needs with researchers regarding thrips management in their small fruit production systems. The session will…

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