What damage is caused by insects?
Insects with chewing mouthparts, for example, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and beetles, cause feeding damage such as holes or notches in foliage and other plant parts, leaf skeletonizing (removal of tissue between the leaf veins), leaf defoliation, cutting plants off at the soil surface, or consumption of roots.
What insect does the most damage?
TERMITES. Termites cause more structural damage in the United States than any other insect. Subterranean species are the most destructive. They’re found throughout the United States, but the Southeast and California have the heaviest infestations and sustain the most damage.
How do insects cause damage to plants?
Crop Damage Insects are a big threat. The first is direct injury to plants caused by insects eating leaves and burrowing holes in stems, fruit and/or roots. The second is indirect damage, where the insects themselves do little or no harm, but transmit bacterial, viral or fungal infection to a crop.
What are the five common insects that causes damage to plants?
Lepidopterous fruit borers are generally the most important pests affecting production. Other important species include various leaf- and flower-eating caterpillars and beetles, bark borers, scales, leaf mites, fruit-sucking bugs, fruit-piercing moths and fruit flies.
How many insects are harmful to humans?
Approximately 1 percent to 3 percent of all known insects are harmful to humans, animals, and plants. Insects are an important part of the Earth’s…
What are the six orders of insects that damage plants?
The Major Pest Orders and Associated Signs of Plant Damage
- Order: Thysanoptera (Thrips)
- Order: Homoptera (Aphids, Scales, Adelgids, Mealybugs, Psyllids, Whiteflies, Leaf Hoppers, and Cicadas)
- Order: Hemiptera (The True Bugs)
- Order: Diptera (True Flies)
- Order: Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
What are successful insects?
Insects possess an amazing diversity in size, form, and behavior. It is believed that insects are so successful because they have a protective shell or exoskeleton, they are small, and they can fly. Their small size and ability to fly permits escape from enemies and dispersal to new environments.
What are the effects of insect pests on agriculture?
Insect pests have major effects on agricultural production and food supply. Although the application of insecticides has helped to minimize the impact of insect pests, chemical control entails economic, health, and environmental costs.
How do insects damage garden plants?
Different Pests Cause Different Damage Insects can become pests in the garden when they cause damage to garden plants. The signs of damage vary, typically depending on the way that the insect feeds on the plant. Damage from insects with chewing mouthparts typically appears on leaves or stems as ragged edges, holes, or other missing tissue.
What is an example of a pest insect?
Insects with piercing-sucking mouthparts have strong mandibles that they move laterally to often cause yellowing or browning on plants, and possible wilting. Examples include aphids, scales, spider mites, and whiteflies. Pest insects can also be classified by the types of damage they cause.
How much do insects affect potato yields?
Insect pests account for 16% of the crop losses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) worldwide ( Oerke et al. 1994 ), and reductions in tuber yield and quality can be between 30% and 70% for various insect pests ( Raman and Radcliffe 1992 ).