What to observe

• Missing tissue, holes, or chewed margins
• Frass near damaged tissue
• Larvae, silk, or feeding shelters
• Flower damage that may create secondary decay risk

Common look-alikes

• Grasshopper or beetle feeding
• Mechanical tears
• Slug/snail damage
• Necrotic tissue that later falls away

Evidence that improves confirmation

• Search damaged areas and nearby protected sites
• Identify larvae or characteristic frass
• Inspect at different times when feeding activity may change

Risk context

• Outdoor crops are exposed to egg-laying adults and surrounding vegetation
• Dense flowers can hide larvae and damage
• Wounds can increase secondary disease concerns

Management principles

• Remove confirmed larvae when practical
• Use exclusion and repeated scouting where appropriate
• Inspect damaged flower tissue for secondary decay
• Use lawful, crop-appropriate controls and verify reduced damage/new counts

Keep the conclusion proportional to the evidence

Use a confirmed identification when available. When evidence is incomplete, label the conclusion as a suspicion or differential rather than presenting it as proven.

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