Corn Borer

Was out checking the garden after a very welcome rainfall. Got to the corn and noticed 1 plant had the makings of a tassel but the leaves leading out from that looked like something was eating the leaves. Further investigation revealed some brown substance. I took a finger and probed deeper and out came this lovely little varmint. These are pictures I found online that are what I found:





Squished that ugly thing and immediately wondered if I have to spray something on the plants to discourage any further invasion. I will go back out and check the remaining plants for signs also.

There was an over abundance of moths this spring. Not being aware that some of these moths would reproduce into this, I ignored it. I found lots of them dead in my house. Apparently they had done their duty and dropped dead. I realize that not all moths are of this type. They look so much like other moths.

Anyway, if this were you, what would you do as a method of prevention?

I did check the other plants. So far no other ones are affected.

Did some checking about organic control and came up with these 2 suggestions:

Monterey Garden Insect Spray and Dipel Dust

Which would be the best?

greatgranny wrote:I did check the other plants. So far no other ones are affected.

Did some checking about organic control and came up with these 2 suggestions:

Monterey Garden Insect Spray and Dipel Dust

Which would be the best?

Either would probably work to prevent the worms from getting into the ears but won't affect those already in the ears. I have them this year. Did not see them til I started harvesting. I have since sprayed with BT (Thuricide) and will do that several times as I have another batch of corn growing that should be ready for harvest in august(no tassels yet).

At least the worms only affect a small part of the ear which I have just cut off.

Thanks for the reply. This one was in the tassel. That's how I noticed it because besides the leaves being eaten, there was obvious damage to the tassel and that is where I found the little varmint. Wish tomorrow wasn't a holiday so I could go to my favorite garden store. Oh well, maybe some of the larger stores will be open tomorrow.

You can squirt mineral oil into the tassels to smother them. You could do the same with Bt.

Protecting Sweet Corn from the Corn Earworm with Vegetable Oil and Btk <~~click

The technique has been refined since I learned it many years ago.
Pay special attention to the timing, so you do not inhibit pollination.

Thanks.

If I understand, I should not apply until the silks are turning brown. But, if the borer is in the tassel area I should just put oil in the tassel. Should the tassel method be done right away? The one borer I found had eaten almost all of the tassel and there was a definite hole in the stalk which looked like it had taken quite a bite out of the center of the stalk. I don't want to prevent the pollination from taking place.

This year is strange. I've grown corn for years and never had this issue.

greatgranny wrote:Thanks.

If I understand, I should not apply until the silks are turning brown. But, if the borer is in the tassel area I should just put oil in the tassel. Should the tassel method be done right away? The one borer I found had eaten almost all of the tassel and there was a definite hole in the stalk which looked like it had taken quite a bite out of the center of the stalk. I don't want to prevent the pollination from taking place.

This year is strange. I've grown corn for years and never had this issue.

I think you are better able to say if and when better than I
I last did this 20 years ago and am proud I even remembered it AND that I found that my memory was somewhat accurate when I looked for back up sources.

Best of luck.