How Does Bollworm Work?

Bollworms will infest corn until the ears begin to dry down and become unattractive to egg-laying moths. After this second generation of bollworm moths leave the corn, they move into other crops that are blooming and fruiting, such as cotton and soybeans.

How does bollworm affect cotton?

Cotton bollworm larvae damage bolls and squares. Larvae chew holes into the base of bolls and may hollow out locks. ... Larvae may also chew shallow gouges in the boll surface, which can become infected with rot organisms. Squares injured by cotton bollworm usually have a round hole near the base.

Is bollworm an insect pest?

Cotton insect pest problems

The most damaging cotton pests are those that attack squares and bolls such as the cotton bollworm, tobacco budworm, pink bollworm, boll weevil, and lygus bugs. Yield losses due to bollworm/budworm complex, the most devastating of all the above pests, are typically higher in bloom stage.