SEEDCORN MAGGOT: Delia platura, Anthomyiidae

ADULT: The light gray to grayish-brown fly is 3/16 to 1/4 in. long. Their wings are held crossed over the abdomen at rest.

EGG: Narrow, less than 1/16 in. long, pale white eggs are deposited in soil cracks, under clods, or on decaying vegetation.

LARVA: Full grown maggots are 1/4 in. long, pale yellow, and legless. They have a tough cuticle, a pointed head with dark retractable mouth hooks, and a bluntly truncated abdomen terminated with two brown to black spiracles.

PUPA: The dark brown, 3/16 to 1/4 in. long, barrel-shaped puparia are found in soil,. Adults emerge in 12 to 15 d.

GENERATION TIME: 21 d.

DAMAGE: Larvae attack seeds and young plants before they emerge from soil. Damage can result in stand loss or delayed growth. Seeds in cool, moist soil or where green cover crop has been recently incorporated are more likely to be attacked. Decaying vegetation is attractive to the adults.

CONTROL: Planting to warmer soils reduces chances for seedcorn maggot damage.  Prior crops and weeds in fields to be replanted to corn should be disked several weeks prior to planting to provide time for decomposition.  Pesticides are available for pre-plant broadcast and at-plant banded applications. Formulations, rates, and pre-harvest intervals of insecticides labeled for seedcorn maggot control in Florida are listed below for sweet corn (Table 1) and field corn (Table 2).