Vegetable Pests
Vegetable Insects
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, 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
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, 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 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
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, 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
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, 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, 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
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
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
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
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, 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, 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
Order: HemipteraFamily: Cicadellidae
Description
Aster leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus) is a vector of a plant pathogen, the aster yellows phytoplasma, ...
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)
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, Malva neglecta
Family: MalvaceaeWritten by: Michelle PetersonPosted: January 25, 2024
Description
Common mallow is native to Eurasia. It is a low growing, spreading broadleaf ...