Vegetable Pests

Vegetable Insects

Whiteflies

Whiteflies

Whiteflies Order: HemipteraFamily: Aleyrodidae Description Whiteflies are a common pest of plants, particularly greenhouse plants, and a vector of several plant diseases. Despite their name, ...
Tomato fruitworm

Tomato fruitworm

Tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa zea Order: LepidopteraFamily: Noctuidae Description Adults are medium-sized moths with a 2.5-3.3 cm (1-1.3 inch) wingspan. Sometimes they can have a slight green ...
Thrips

Thrips

Thrips Order: Thysanoptera Family: Thripidae Description When fully grown, thrips are about 1-1.5 mm (0.03-0.06 inches) long and have long slender bodies with two pairs of wings that are narrow ...
Sugarbeet root maggot

Sugarbeet root maggot

Sugarbeet root maggot, Tetanops myopaeformis Order: DipteraFamily: Otitidae Description The sugarbeet root maggot is native to North America. Adults of sugarbeet root maggot are 6.5 mm (0.25 ...
Squash bug

Squash bug

Squash bugs, Anasa tristis Order: HemipteraFamily: Coreidae Description Adults are about 1.4-1.6 cm (~0.5-0.6 inch) long and 0.75 cm (~1/3 inch) wide at the widest abdominal region. Adults of ...
Spider mites

Spider mites

Spider mites  Order: AcariFamily: Tetranychidae Description Spider Mites small arachnids that are difficult to see with the unaided eye. They are a common pest on many plants in yards and ...
Potato/tomato psyllid

Potato/tomato psyllid

Potato/tomato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli  Order: HemipteraFamily: Triozidae Description The potato/tomato psyllid is distributed throughout the central to western United States. This ...
Leaf mining flies

Leaf mining flies

Leaf mining flies Order: DipteraFamily: Agromyzidae, Anthomyiidae Description and life history The larvae of certain fly species develop within the leaves or needles of host plants. These pests ...
Japanese beetle in vegetables

Japanese beetle in vegetables

Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Order: ColeopteraFamily: Scarabidae Description The adult Japanese beetle has an oval body and is about 15 mm (0.6 inch) in length. It is generally metallic ...
Imported cabbageworm

Imported cabbageworm

Imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae Order: LepidopteraFamily: Pieridae Description Adults of imported cabbageworm are active during the day and have a wingspan of about 5 cm (2 inches). They ...
Hornworms

Hornworms

Hornworms Order: LepidopteraFamily: Sphingidae Description Hornworms are among the largest caterpillars found in Colorado, with some species reaching lengths of up to 7.5 cm (3 inches). Many ...
Grasshoppers in vegetables

Grasshoppers in vegetables

Grasshoppers in vegetables Order: OrthopteraFamily: Acrididae Description The redlegged grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum) can be shades of red, brown, yellow, green, and olive green. These ...
Fungus gnats

Fungus gnats

Fungus gnats Order: DipteraFamily: Sciaridae Description Fungus gnats are small, dainty flies that resemble mosquitoes and are often found in greenhouses, homes, and offices. Adults are 3 mm ...
Flea beetles

Flea beetles

Flea beetles Order: ColeopteraFamily: Chrysomelidae Description Flea beetles are small insects that can jump when threatened. They are beetles, have sclerotized pair of hind wings and chewing ...
Corn earworm in sweet corn

Corn earworm in sweet corn

Corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea Order: LepidopteraFamily: Noctuidae Description Corn earworm moths have a wingspan of about 2.5-3.8 cm (1-1.5 inches) and are white or tan with irregular wing ...
Cabbage looper

Cabbage looper

Cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni Order: LepidopteraFamily: Noctuidae Description Moths are 1.9 cm (0.75 inch) long and have grey or brown bodies. A silver “figure eight” mark in the center of ...
Aster leafhopper and aster yellows

Aster leafhopper and aster yellows

Aster leafhopper and aster yellows Order: HemipteraFamily: Cicadellidae Description Aster leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus) is a vector of a plant pathogen, the aster yellows phytoplasma, ...
Armyworms

Armyworms

Armyworms Order: LepidopteraFamily: Noctuidae Description Armyworm caterpillars tend to feed in groups, a behavior that distinguishes them from other vegetable pests such as the imported ...

Vegetable Diseases

Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV)

Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV)

Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) Written by: Taylor JanecekPosted: July 11, 2023 Disease symptoms Symptoms of AMV include leaf mosaic, leaf discoloration, leaf curling or deformation, and abnormal ...

Vegetable Weeds

Common mallow

Common mallow

Common mallow, Malva neglecta Family: MalvaceaeWritten by: Michelle PetersonPosted: January 25, 2024 Description Common mallow is native to Eurasia. It is a low growing, spreading broadleaf ...