Control of Corn Earworm using Brazilian free-tailed bats

The purpose of our project was to determine if Brazilian free-tailed bat predation can decrease corn earworm infestation levels in sweet corn. We planted a sweet corn plot in close proximity to permanent free-tailed bat colonies. The corn was planted in early, middle, and late stages with a control plot corresponding with the early stage corn. Results indicate early sweet corn had one-half of the corn earworm infestation as the control. Earworm infestation rates in the middle and late corn increased successively. Our project indicated that bat predation is an effective control of corn earworm moths in early sweet corn, but not in late season sweet corn.