Sweet-corn
Guides
Chaetopsis massyla
corn silk fly, picture-winged fly
Chaetopsis massyla is a picture-winged fly (Diptera: Ulidiidae) and major agricultural pest of fresh market sweet corn in tropical and semitropical regions. Larvae develop within corn ears, feeding on developing kernels beneath protective husks, causing direct damage and secondary fungal contamination that renders cobs unmarketable. Mature larvae exit cobs and pupate in soil at depths influenced by substrate type and moisture. The species is native to the Americas, with established populations in Florida and documented occurrence in Mexico and Argentina.
Euxesta
Cornsilk Flies
Euxesta is a genus of picture-winged flies in the family Ulidiidae, commonly known as cornsilk flies. Multiple species are significant agricultural pests of sweet corn (Zea mays), particularly in Florida, the southeastern United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. The genus includes at least four species documented attacking corn in Florida: E. stigmatias, E. eluta, E. annonae, and E. mazorca. Larvae develop within corn ears, feeding on silks and kernels and causing direct crop damage, often in association with secondary fungal infections.