Bugs in my corn

[Uncle Doug]

I was out in the garden yesterday afternoon and notices some dammage by critters to several ears of sweet corn. (another story) I decided to go ahead and pick a few of the larger ears of corn before the critters got to them. I pulled 5 or 6 large ears of corn. While shucking the ears I noticed little ants in the ears and on the outer end of each ear were worms and about 1 1/2" of the ear is all mushy. It was the same for each ear of corn. This is not a huge crop but about 100 stalks. This was from the first planting. I figure most of this planting is the same way. The second planting two weeks later in another plot is not as mature and I have not checked the ears yet. I do not see any ants in the garden. Is there anything I can do to save the second and much larger planting?

We did have a week or so of heavy rain about 3 weeks ago if that matters any.

 

[jinman]

Doug, I can't say about the ants, but th worms you describe are corn ear worms. They are from moths that lay eggs in the silk and the hatched worms attack the corn. The moths come at night, so you don't see them around in the daytime. There are two ways to treat this. First is to paint mineral oil onto the silk and the second is to dust with Sevin dust. I think dusting is the easiest method, but with heavy rains, it washes off easily. Do a google search of corn earworm and corn earworm control for plenty of information.

 

[Uncle Doug]

Thanks Jinman,

I am off tomorrow so I will try and find some of the stuff I googled up. I will most likely see the county agent tonight at a FFA banquet and was going to ask him what was going on.

I has sprinked 5% sevin dust a few weeks ago but it looks like I may need to get some of the more specific dusts. It also said you can squirt some mineral oil into the tips of each ear to smother the wormss. I may try that also,

 

[nunyabinis]

Corn Ear Worms.

I used to do battle with the little suckers but it's a pain to dust or spray each and every ear of corn in a large garden so now I just pick the ear and take a large pair of scissors and cut about two inches off the end of each ear before I husk it and call it "organic" gardening.


Problem solved.




.

 

[BruceWard]

My Dad puts vegetable oil on the tips of each ear to avoid the worms. It works pretty well.

 

[charlz]

So far I have had pretty good luck spraying BT every 7 days or so after silks appear until harvest. If your second planting has already silked it might be too late as they could already be in there.

 

[Bird]

Corn Ear Worms.

I used to do battle with the little suckers but it's a pain to dust or spray each and every ear of corn in a large garden so now I just pick the ear and take a large pair of scissors and cut about two inches off the end of each ear before I husk it and call it "organic" gardening.


Problem solved.




.

I had an uncle who said he put a drop of mineral oil on the tip of each ear to stop the worms. But, like you, I didn't put anything on mine. I just shucked them and then chopped on the damaged end, usually with a machete.

 

[Luremaker]

My Dad puts vegetable oil on the tips of each ear to avoid the worms. It works pretty well.

How often do you have to put the oil on the corn tips? That would be very time consuming to do 1/2 acre of corn.

 

[Bird]

How often do you have to put the oil on the corn tips? That would be very time consuming to do 1/2 acre of corn.

From what my uncle said, only one time.

 

[Luremaker]

From what my uncle said, only one time.

Thanks Bird. I'll give it a try in July.