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Florida FFA Vegetable Judging Competition:

A Study Guide

This guide links to articles about insects that are often used in the Florida FFA Vegetable Judging Competition. Hopefully by looking at these articles (and the associated photos) you will be better prepared for the competition. Click the name above each photo to learn more.


PESTS:

Aphids

green peach aphid

Female adult green peach aphids, Myzus persicae, with immatures. Photograph by USDA.


Banded cucumber beetle

banded beetle

Adult banded cucumber beetle, Diabrotica balteata. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Bean leaf roller

leaf roller

Larva of the bean leafroller, Urbanus proteus. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Cabbage looper

cabbage looper

Early instar larva of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Click beetle

click beetlesclick beetles

Adults of the click beetles Alaus myops, left, and Alaus oculatus, right. Photographs by M.C. Thomas, Division of Plant Industry.


Colorado potato beetle, adult

adult potato beetles

Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, feeding on foliage. Photograph by David Cappaert, Michigan State University, www.insectimages.org.


Colorado potato beetle, larvae

potato beetle larva

Larva of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Photograph by University of Florida.


Corn earworm

corn earworm

Larva of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, this is the light-colored or greenish form. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Cutworm

Lateral view of the larva of a black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Fall armyworm

Larva of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, note light-colored inverted "Y" on front of head. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Field cricket

Long-winged, adult male southeastern field cricket, Gryllus rubens. Photograph by Paul M. Choate, University of Florida.


* Flea beetle (links to BugGuide)


Green stinkbug

Adult green stink bugs, Chinavia halaris, on millet. Photograph by Russell F. Mizell, III, University of Florida.


Harlequin bug

Adult harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica. Photograph by James Castner, University of Florida.


Imported cabbage worm

Larva of imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


June beetle

Adult green June beetle, Cotinis nitida. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Leaffooted plant bug

Adult leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus phyllopus. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Leafhopper

An adult Homalodisca vitripennis, the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Photograph by Chris Tipping, University of Florida.


Leafminer

Mines in squash leaf caused by Liriomyza leafminers. Photograph by James. Castner, University of Florida.


Lesser cornstalk borer

Mature larva of the lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Mexican bean beetle, adult

Adult Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis. Photograph by James Castner, University of Florida.


Mexican bean beetle, larvae

Larva of Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis. Photograph by James Castner, University of Florida.


Mole cricket

Adult tawny mole cricket, Neoscapteriscus vicinus. Photograph by Paul M. Choate, University of Florida.


Pickleworm

Young pickleworm larva, Diaphania nitidalis, on a cucumber leaf. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Squash bug

Adult (bottom) and nymph (top) of the squash bug, Anasa tristis. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Sweet potato weevil

Adult sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius. Photograph by James Castner, University of Florida.


Tomato hornworm

Last instar larva of the tomato hornworm, Manduca quinquemaculata. Photograph by Paul M. Choate, University of Florida.


Twelve-spotted cucumber beetle

The spotted cucumber beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi. Photograph by James Castner, University of Florida.

White grub

Typical white grub of the genus Phyllophaga. Photograph by John L. Capinera, University of Florida.


Wireworm

Larva of Melanotus communis. Photograph by Lyle Buss, University of Florida.

 


BENEFICIALS:

Earwig

Adult female European earwig, Foricula auricularia with eggs and young. Photographed in Chester, United Kingdom. Photograph by Nabokov, en.wikipedia.org.


Green garden spider

Adult green lynx spider, Peucetia viridans. Photograph by University of Florida.


Ground beetle

Adult Calleida decora, a ground beetle. Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida.


Honey bee

European honey bees, Apis mellifera, on comb in a colony. Photograph by Ashley N. Mortensen, University of Florida.


Lady beetle

Adult Coccinella septempunctata, the sevenspotted lady beetle. Photograph by James Castner, University of Florida.

Praying mantis

mantis

Grizzled mantid, Gonatista grisea, nymph. Photograph by Jeremy Cohen, University of South Florida.

Tachnid fly

Ormia depleta (Wiedemann), the Brazilian red-eyed fly. Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida.

Tachnid fly, Ormia depleta, the Brazilian red-eyed fly. Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida.

Tiger beetle

A tiger beetle, Cicindela scutellaris unicolor. Photograph by Paul M. Choate, University of Florida.


* As new articles get added to the Featured Creatures database we will update links.

Special thanks to the original authors of the publications linked here and to the photographers for sharing their photos. The photographers retain their rights to the images used here. Please contact them if you would like to copy or reproduce their photos. When possible an email address for a photographer has been linked to their name.