Major Arthropod Pests of North Carolina

Vegetables

Beans

• Mexican bean beetle – Epilachna varivestis
• Corn earworm – Helicoverpa zea
• Potato leafhopper – Empoasca fabae
• Spider mites – Tetranychus spp.

Crucifers

• Cabbage looper – Trichoplusia ni
• Imported cabbageworm – Pieris rapae
• Diamondback moth – Plutella xylostella
• Cabbage maggot – Delia radicum
• Cabbage aphid – Brevicoryne brassicae
• Harlequin bug – Murgantia histrionica
• Striped flea beetle – Phyllotreta striolata

Cucurbits

• Pickleworm – Diaphania nitidalis
• Cucumber beetles
  • Spotted cucumber beetle – Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi
  • Striped cucumber beetle – Acalymma vittatum

Irish Potatoes

• Colorado potato beetle – Leptinotarsa decemlineata
• European corn borer – Ostrinia nubilalis
• Potato flea beetle – Epitrix cucumeris
• Aphids
  • Potato aphid – Macrosiphum euphorbiae
  • Green peach aphid – Myzus persicae
• Wireworms
  • Southern potato wireworm – Conoderus falli
  • Tobacco Wireworm – Conoderus vespertinus
• White Grubs – Phyllophaga spp.

Peppers

• Aphids
  • Potato aphid – Macrosiphum euphorbiae
  • Green peach aphid – Myzus persicae
• European corn borer – Ostrinia nubilalis
• Pepper maggot – Zonosemata electa
• Corn earworm – Helicoverpa zea
• Fall armyworm – Spodoptera frugiperda

Sweet Corn

• Corn earworm – Helicoverpa zea
• Dusky sap beetle – Carpophilus lugubris
• Fall armyworm – Spodoptera frugiperda
• European corn borer – Ostrinia nubilalis

Sweet Potatoes

• Sweet potato flea beetle – Chaetocnema confinis
• Wireworms
  • Southern potato wireworm – Conoderus falli
  • Tobacco Wireworm – Conoderus vespertinus
• Spring rose beetle – Strigoderma arboricola

Tomatoes

• Tomato fruitworm – Helicoverpa zea
• Aphids
  • Potato aphid – Macrosiphum euphorbiae
  • Green peach aphid – Myzus persicae
• Flea beetles
  • Tobacco flea beetle – Epitrix hirtipennis
  • Potato flea beetle – Epitrix cucumeris
• Colorado potato beetle – Leptinotarsa decemlineata
• Serpentine leafminer – Liriomyza brassicae
• Tomato hornworm – Manduca quinquemaculata

Flowers

• Leafminer – Liriomyza trifolia
• Flower thrips – Frankliniella tritici
• Twospotted spider mite – Tetranychus urticae
• Aphids
  • Green peach aphid – Myzus persicae
  • Melon aphid – Aphis gossypii
• Citrus mealybug – Planococcus citri
• Greenhouse whitefly – Trialeurodes vaporariorum

Shrubs

• Spider mites
  • Southern red mite – Oligonychus ilicis
  • Spruce spider mite – Oligonychus ununguis
• Scales
  • Wax scale – Ceroplastes ceriferus
  • Tea scale – Fiorinia theae
  • Camellia scale – Lepidosaphes camelliae
• Boxwood leafminer – Monarthropalpus flavus
• Lacebugs
  • Hawthorne lace bug – Corythucha cydoniae
  • Azalea lace bug – Stephanitis pyrioides
  • Sycamore lacebug – Corythucha ciliata
• Bagworm – Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis

Fruits and Nuts

Apples

• Tufted apple bud moth – Platynota idaeusalis
• Redbanded leafroller – Argyrotaenia velutinana
• San Jose scale – Quadraspidiotus perniciosus
• Spotted tentiform leafminer – Phyllonorycter blancardella
• Tarnished plant bug – Lygus lineolaris
• Codling moth – Cydia pomonella
• European red mite – Panonychus ulmi

Blueberries

• Cranberry fruitworm – Acrobasis vaccinii
• Sharpnosed leafhopper – Scaphytopius magdalensis
• Blueberry maggot – Rhagoletis mendax
• Blueberry budmite – Acalitus vaccinii
• Plum curculio – Conotrachelus nenuphar
• Terrapin scale – Mesolecanium nigrofasciatum

Grapes

• Grape root borer – Vitacea polistiformis
• Japanese beetle – Popillia japonica
• Grape berry moth – Endopiza viteana
• Grape leafhopper – Erythroneura spp.

Peaches

• Plum curculio – Conotrachelus nenuphar
• Oriental fruit moth – Grapholita molesta
• Tarnished plant bug – Lygus lineolaris
• Stink bugs
  • Brown stink bug – Euschistus servus
  • Green stink bug – Acrosternum hilare
  • Brown marmorated stink bug – Halymorpha halys
• Peachtree borer – Synanthedon exitiosa
• White peach scale – Pseudaulacaspis pentagona
• Twospotted spider mite – Tetranychus urticae

Strawberries

• Twospotted spider mite – Tetranychus urticae
• White grubs
  • Spring rose beetle – Strigoderma arboracola
  • Fuller rose beetle – Asynonychus godmanni
  • Whitefringed beetles – Graphognathus spp.

Pecans

• Pecan weevil – Curculio caryae
• Twig girdler – Oncideres cingulata
• Fall webworm – Hyphantria cunea
• Hickory shuckworm – Cydia caryana
• Stink bugs – Pentatomidae

Shade Trees

• Fall webworm – Hyphantria cunea
• Eastern tent caterpillar – Malacosoma americanum
• Horned Oak gall – Callirhytis cornigera
• Whitemarked tussock moth – Orgyia leucostigma
• Orangestriped oakworm – Anisota senatoria
• Pine bark adelgid – Pineus strobi

Forest Pests

Hardwoods

• Locust borer – Megacyllene robiniae
• Gypsy moth – Lymantria dispar
• Fall cankerworm – Alsophila pometaria
• Eastern tent caterpillar – Malacosoma americanum
• Forest tent caterpillar – Malacosoma disstria
• Spring cankerworm – Paleacrita vernata
• Walnut caterpillar – Datana integerrima
• Fruittree leafroller – Archips argyrospila
• Walkingstick – Diapheromera femorata

Conifers

• Southern pine beetle – Dendroctonus frontalis
• Engraver beetles
  • Small southern pine engraver – Ips avulsus
  • Sixspined ips – Ips calligraphus
  • Eastern fivespined ips – Ips grandicollis
• Balsam woolly adelgid – Adelges piceae
• Nantucket pine tip moth – Rhyacionia frustrana
• Pitch pine looper – Lambdina pellucidaria
• Sawflies
  • Loblolly pine sawfly – Neodiprion taedae linearis
  • Redheaded pine sawfly – Neodiprion lecontei
  • Virginia pine sawfly – Neodiprion pratti pratti
• Pine coneworms – Dioryctria spp.
• Leaffooted pine seed bug – Leptoglossus corculus
• White pine cone beetle Conophthorus coniperda

Apiculture

• Small hive beetle – Aethina tumida
• Tracheal mite – Acarapis woodi
• Wax moths
  • Greater wax moth – Galleria mellonella
  • Lesser wax moth – Achroia grisella
• Varroa mite – Varroa jacobsoni

Livestock & Poultry

• Northern fowl mite – Ornithonyssus sylviarum
• House fly – Musca domestica
• Itch mite (swine) – Sarcoptes scabiei var suis
• Chicken body louse – Menacanthus stramineus
• Horn fly – Haematobia irritans
• Face fly – Musca autumnalis
• Cattle grubs
  • Northern cattle grub – Hypoderma bovis
  • Common cattle grub – Hypoderma lineatum
• Stable fly – Stomoxys calcitrans
• Chicken mite – Dermanyssus gallinae
• Bed bug – Cimex lectularius
• Bot flies
  • Throat bot fly – Gasterophilus nasalis
  • Horse bot fly – Gasterophilus intestinalis
  • Nose bot fly – Gasterophilus haemorrhoidalis
• Cattle lice
  • Cattle biting louse – Bovicola bovis
  • Little blue cattle louse – Solenopotes capillarus
  • Longnosed cattle louse – Linognathus vituli
• Hog louse – Haematopinus suis
• Biting midges – Culicoides spp.
• Black flies – Simuliidae

Stored Grain

• Weevils
  • Maize weevil – Sitophilus zeamais
  • Rice weevil – Sitophilus oryzae
• Sawtoothed grain beetle – Oryzaephilus surinamensis
• Indian meal moth – Plodia interpunctella
• Red flour beetle – Tribolium castaneum
• Angoumois grain moth – Sitotroga cerealella
• Lesser grain borer – Rhyzopertha dominica

Household

• German cockroach – Blattella germanica
• Eastern subterranean termite – Reticulitermes flavipes
• Dog fleas – Ctenocephalides canis
• Cat fleas – Ctenocephalides felis
• Pharoah ant – Monomorium pharaonis
• Black carpenter ant – Camponotus pennsylvanicus
• Smokybrown cockroach – Periplaneta fuliginosa
• Cigarette beetle – Lasioderma serricorne
• Casemaking clothes moth – Tinea pellionella
• Sawtoothed grain beetle – Oryzaephilus surinamensis
• Indian meal moth – Plodia interpunctella
• Old house borer – Hylotrupes bajulus
• Carpenter bee – Xylocopa virginica

Humans (Medical)

• American dog tick – Dermacentor variabilis
• Saltmarsh mosquitoes
  • Eastern Saltmarsh mosquito – Ochlerotatus sollicitans
  • Black Saltmarsh mosquito – Aedes taeniorhynchus
• House fly – Musca domestica
• Deerflies – Chrysops atlanticus and others
• Horseflies
• Eye gnats
  • Liohippelates pusio
  • Liohippelates pallipes
• Chiggers – Trombicula spp.
• Red imported fire ant – Solenopsis invicta
• Domestic mosquitoes
  • Southern house mosquito – Culex quinquefasciatus
  • Asian tiger mosquito – Aedes albopictus
  • Yellowfever mosquito – Aedes aegypti
• Stable fly – Stomoxys calcitrans
• Lone star tick – Amblyomma americanum
• Woodland mosquitoes – Aedes atlanticus, Psorophora ferox, et. al.
• Biting midges – Culicoides spp.
• Black flies – Simuliidae