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Insects That Live in the Winter in Tennessee

As one of the main producers of cotton and soybeans in the South, Tennessee farmers respect the seasonal changes that bring fluctuation of insects into crops. During winter months, even in northern parts of Tennessee, certain insects survive and wait to hatch eggs in time for spring harvests. Corn growers in Tennessee also have problems with certain types of caterpillars that lay eggs within the ears of corn. Certain bugs have higher impact during winter months, while others have little to no effect on crops.

Aphids
- Both the cotton aphid and soybean aphid live throughout winters in Tennessee. Aphids have soft bodies and move rather slowly. Cotton aphids, also known as melon aphids, cause low damage to cotton crops. These insects feed on the underside of leaves by sucking sap. Soybean farmers in Tennessee first spotted soybean aphids among crops in 2003. These bugs multiply quickly and live throughout the winter, damaging soybean harvests in the spring.
Stink Bugs
- Various stink bugs survive the winter season as well, including the southern green stink bug. This insect is a light green color and hibernate throughout the winter on the underside of plant leaves. The southern green stink bug likes certain types of plants, including bean, citrus, peach, pecan, potato and tomato. The green and brown stink bug also lives through Tennessee winters. Predatory stink bugs like to infest cotton fields. Laying a massive number of eggs, sometimes up to 100 at a time, stink bugs pose a low threat to spring harvests.
Corn Borers
- Two types of corn borers live throughout the winter months. The southwestern corn borer is a high threat to crops in the winter. The corn borer is a white, black-spotted soft-bodied caterpillar that likes to eat corn and causes high damage to crops by feeding on the leaves. Eventually, the southwestern corn borer becomes a moth. Like its southwestern cousin, the European corn borer also enjoys a good corn leaf for dinner. Both of these corn borers lay eggs in the stubble, ears and plant debris in the soil throughout the winter, then pupate in the spring.
Three-cornered Alfalfa Hopper
- Another insect with high impact on Tennessee's agriculture in winter is the three-cornered alfalfa hopper. This insect is small with pierce-sucking mouthparts and a green body with pink spikes along its back. In Tennessee, the three-cornered alfalfa hopper feasts on soybean crops. In late-season planting, the hoppers cause the greatest threat. In overwintering alfalfa hoppers, these insects survive under pine needles and plant debris. Three-cornered alfalfa hoppers also feed on legumes, cotton, clovers, dock, wild geranium and cocklebur.

Insects & Science