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STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A person with extensive knowledge of bugs can almost tell the date by paying careful attention to what is going on in the insect world.

Right now, soon-to-emerge tomato fruitworms tell observers spring is around the corner. Gardeners frequently encounter pupas of various caterpillars when digging in the garden or flower bed. Identifying these seasonal insects can be difficult.

The larvae of tomato fruitworms, also known as corn earworms and cotton bollworms, are robust caterpillars an inch or more long. Body color varies greatly, depending on what they eat. (Photo by MSU Extension Service/Blake Layton)
The tomato fruitworm is one of the most damaging insect pests of tomatoes. It ruins fruit by boring inside, usually near the stem. (Photo by MSU Extension Service/Blake Layton)

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