Ground applications are usually more effective than aerial applications because they provide better coverage of plant surfaces. For many insect pests, the method of application can affect treatment outcomes. If insects primarily reside on the undersides of leaves or at the stem ends of fruit, then it is important to make sure that sprays cover those areas. If possible, use pheromone traps and scouting to determine when target insects are present and active before applying insecticides. 1,2Īpply insecticide treatments at times whenthey will be most effective, based on the important insect and plant developmental stages. When applying insecticides, direct sprays at the plant parts where larvae are found. Insecticide treatments need to be timed to control the larvae before they enter the fruit. Bt and spinosad treatments can also be effective. Management: Beneficial insects, including egg parasites and predators, can help keep tomato fruitworm populations in check, and some of these beneficials are commercially available. 1 The IPM guidelines in California recommend evaluating the eggs for the level of parasitism, with treatment thresholds based on the percentage of parasitized eggs. Begin treatments when eggs are found earlier in the season, and caterpillars are detected later in the season. 4 The recommendation in California is to begin evaluating leaves for eggs when moths are being caught in traps. 3 In the Midwest, a threshold of five to ten moths per trap per night is used, and higher threshold numbers are used if nearby corn (a preferred host) is silking.
The recommendation in New York is to start inspecting fruit for damage if more than seven tomato fruitworm moths are captured per week in pheromone traps. The action thresholds recommended by production guides differ by region.
Scouting: Start monitoring for adult moths mid-season when fruit are starting to form.
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