I live in Cincinati Ohio and this is the first year I have found grubs in my Jerusalem Artichoke tuber.
The plants were grown in 55 gallon tubs for three years and this year I found about 10 white grubs in each tub that yielded about a half gallon of tubers.
It
should be simple to treat for these but I am having a devil of a time trying to identify the grub. It varies in size from half inch to a inch long, white with brown head.
I can tell there is a grub inside because there is always a small hole on the outside of the tuber and side is soft. Due to the size difference I would say I am dealing with different hatching times of the same grub. I have found up to two grubs in a single tuber. Due to their size I would say grubs are likely from September eggs.
So far the best information I have on what eat sunchokes is
Larvae of such butterflies as the Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone), Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) and Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
feed on the foliage of these plants, as do the larvae of such moths as the Arge Tiger Moth (Grammia arge) and Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa).
Larvae of the Sunflower Moth (Homoeosoma electella) and Frothy Moth (Stibadium spumosum) feed on the seeds.
Larvae of the Sunflower Borer Moth (Papaipema necopina) and Rigid Sunflower Borer Moth (Papaipema rigida) bore through the stems.
Got any ideas on what Grubs I can be dealing with.