Maize borer

Caused by: Helicoverpa zea
Problem Category: Insect
Symptoms: Feeding damage to leaves, tassel and leaf whorls; preferred feeding site is the ear and insect produces extensive excrement at the tip of the ear; younger larvae feed on silks, severing them from the plant; young caterpillars are cream-white in color with a black head and black hairs; older larvae may be yellow-green to almost black in color with fine white lines along their body and black spots at the base of hairs; eggs are laid singly on both upper and lower leaf surfaces and are initially creamy white but develop a brown-red ring after 24 hours and darken prior to hatching.
Comments: Adult insect is a pale green to tan, medium sized moth; can be a very damaging pests ofcorn; insect overwinters as pupae in the soil.
Management: Corn earworms are most problematic on sweet corn varieties and treatment should be applied at egg hatch; monitor plants for eggs and young larvae.
Control: Spray the chilli garlic extract or 5% Neem seed kernal extract to control Borer damage