Maize pests are categorized by their economic impact and the specific plant parts they attack. Major pests cause widespread, severe yield loss and require active management, while minor pests cause less frequent or less intense damage.
Pests are broadly categorized into four main groups based on their biology and the methods used to control them: insects, rodents, birds, and wildlife.
The designation of "minor" pests simply means these pests are often localized to one area of tomato production, or, if they are common throughout most tomato production areas, their ability to damage a tomato crop and reduce marketable yield is sporadic both in time and space.
Maize Rusts (Common and Southern Rust) • Identification: Rust diseases present as small, reddish-brown pustules (common rust) or orange pustules (southern rust) on the leaves. Control: Plant rust-resistant varieties, monitor fields regularly, and apply fungicides when necessary.
Fungal diseases
The mayfly is the most famous insect known for an adult lifespan of just 24 hours (with some species lasting only a few minutes or hours). As adults, they have no functional mouthparts and do not eat; their sole purpose in this short window is to swarm, mate, and lay eggs.
There are four different types of pests – rodents, insects, birds and wildlife. Below we discuss a little more about each, what the signs of infestation are and how you can prevent them. Rats and mice are one of the more unpleasant infestations.
The love bug is a species of march fly. It is known as a love bug because of its peculiar mating habits, where the male and female remain attached even when flying, for several days during and after mating. This is why you often see them in pairs.
The most common pests include ants, cockroaches, rodents (mice and rats), spiders, and bed bugs. These household invaders are drawn to food, moisture, and shelter. Preventative measures—such as sealing cracks, eliminating standing water, and storing food in airtight containers—are typically the most effective ways to avoid infestations.
Flies actively avoid yellow and red. Because of their limited color vision, these colors are highly unappealing or almost entirely invisible to them. Conversely, flies are highly attracted to bright colors like blue, which is why many commercial fly traps utilize blue hues.
In 1958, China included the sparrow in its “Four Pests Campaign,” which aimed to improve agricultural activity and human health by eradicating flies, mosquitoes, rats and sparrows.
Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)
The fall armyworm is a moth species that damages maize crops and is considered an invasive pest of maize in India. Adult moths are usually grey-brown with a wingspan of up to 4 cm.
Sugar-rich varieties called sweet corn are grown for human consumption, while field corn varieties are used for animal feed, for uses such as cornmeal or masa, corn starch, corn syrup, pressing into corn oil, alcoholic beverages like bourbon whiskey, and as chemical feedstocks including ethanol and other biofuels.
Lesser grain weevil/rice weevil: This weevil is considered the most destructive insect pest of stored cereals. It feeds aggressively on grains like maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, millets, barley, and legumes like lentils, peas, rye, beans, and cowpea.
The Four Main Categories of Pests. Pest classification helps professionals determine the most effective strategies for management and elimination. Each category has unique characteristics, life cycles, and methods of causing harm. The main categories are insects, plant diseases, weeds, and vertebrates.
Pests include plants, pathogens, invertebrates, vertebrates, or any organism that harms an ecosystem.
If you are getting bitten at night, the most likely culprits are bed bugs, mosquitoes, fleas, or mites. Bed bugs often leave itchy, red welts in lines or clusters on exposed skin (face, neck, hands). Inspect your mattress seams, headboard, and sheets for tiny reddish-brown bugs or small blood spots.
Several marine animals can live for over a thousand years, primarily deep-sea creatures with slow metabolisms.
A specimen, "Ming" of the Icelandic cyprine Arctica islandica (also known as an ocean quahog), a mollusk, was found to have lived 507 years. Another specimen had a recorded lifespan of 374 years.
With such an important role, it's no surprise termite queens hold the title for the longest-living insect, typically living between 25 and 50 years. That's about 500 times longer than males and 10 times longer than worker termites. Some scientists even believe termite queens can even live up to 100 years!
TMVII is the only known sexually transmitted fungal infection. Other fungal infections, like jock itch and yeast infections, can sometimes spread through sex, but they're not considered sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Antifungal soaps treat and prevent skin infections like ringworm, jock itch, and athlete's foot. They work by cleansing the skin of fungal spores and stopping fungus from spreading. The most effective formulas use clinically proven medications, such as miconazole or clotrimazole, or natural botanical oils with mild antifungal properties.
Fungus in the body is primarily killed by specialized medications called antifungals. Depending on the type and severity of the infection, these are administered as topical creams, oral pills, or intravenous (IV) fluids. Natural immune cells and specific dietary changes can also help support the body's natural defenses.