Vegetative symptoms (© Dr Andrea Minuto, CERSAA, Albenga (IT).
Thin silvery trails (tunnels) on leaves which may join together to form white blotches
Green larvae with black heads, and their black frass, inside the tunnels
Tiny holes on stems
Silky webs produced by larvae to fold leaf
Leaves may fall off if badly attacked
Fruit symptoms (©Peter Kodwaran, Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries (MoALF), Kenya; Elizabeth Maina, Kenya)
Holes in fruit, possibly surrounded by black frass
Larvae and galleries inside fruit
Sunscald of fruit due to leaves prematurely falling
Tuta absoluta on tomato in Ghana
Plant Doctor Training
Larva and adults of Tuta absoluta (©Photo: NVWA Plant Protection Service, Bugwood.org)
Adults: small, grey -brown, thin. Hide between leaves during the
day
Larvae: small, yellow -green with black heads, turning pinkish -
green with age. Found in tunnels on leaves, stem and fruit
2 mm
2 mm
Natural enemies 1. Minute pirate bug ( Orius ); 2. Parasitic
wasps ( Trichogramma ) ; 3. Tomato/mirid bug ( Nesidiocoris ) (©A. Sisson, Bugwood.org; P. Sloderbeck, Bugwood.org; S. Hassan; NBIAR; M. Shephard. G. Carner, P. Ooi, Bugwood.org)
1a. Nymphs: Tiny, tear drop -shaped, clear/yellow/orange/brown. 1b. Adults: 2 -3 mm long, oval -shaped, black with white markings, wings longer than the body. Feed on smaller insects, larva and eggs pests
2. Adult: Tiny, 0.5 -1 mm long, yellow/brown/black with. Lay eggs inside the eggs of lepidopterous pests
3. Nymphs: 1 -4 mm in length, yellow -green to emerald green. Adults: 5 - 6 mm in length, black spots on clear hindwings. Feed on the eggs and/or larvae of leaf miners, whiteflies, spider mites, moths, aphids
1a.
1b.
2.
3.
2.
5 mm
1 mm
2 mm
1 mm
