Fall Armyworm

Common Name: Fall Armyworm/Grassworm

Genus: Spodoptera

Species: frugiperda

Identification: see lifecycle

Lifecycle: This is a tropical insect that cannot live though the winter if the ground freezes hard. In the spring, swarms of adults fly northward and deposit eggs on green plants. They have a wingspan of 1 1/2 inches and are grayish-white in color. Each female lays 1,000 eggs and small larvae emerge in a few days. They feed near the ground. The full-grown larvae have yellowish-white hair lines down the back and can be distinguished from the true armyworm by the more prominent white inverted Y on the front of the head. They dig into the ground pupate and the adult emerges in about 14 days. In the south there may be 5 to 10 generations.

Geographic Distribution: Fall armyworm is in continuous residence in the Gulf Coast states and Florida. They can migrate as far north as Montana and Michigan in the summer.

Damage and Treatment: The young larvae first feed near the ground and can go unnoticed. When abundant, the caterpillars eat all the food on hand and then start to crawl in great armies into adjoining fields. Gardens can be invaded and consumed in a few nights. Treatment should be made when insect populations and/or damage levels reach economic thresholds. Refer to local University Extension Pest Management Guidelines for specific state thresholds.

Brussels Sprouts

Cavalo Broccolo

Chinese Broccoli

Corn

Corn - Seed

Corn - Sweet

Cotton

Delta Rice

Dry Shelled Beans and Peas

Fruits Nuts Trees and Vegetables

Small Grains

Sorghum

Soybeans

Succulent Peas & Beans

Tobacco

Alfalfa Looper

Alfalfa Weevil Hypera

Amaranthes Amaranthus palmeri, Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus spinosus

Aphids Therioaphis maculata, Dysphis plantaginea, Acyrthosiphon kondoi, Acyrthosiphon kondoi, Acyrthosiphon pisum, Aphis gossypi

Armyworm, Beet Spodoptera

Armyworms

Barnyardgrass Echinochloa

Bermudagrass

Billbugs

Black Cutworm

Black Nightshade

Bluegrass, Annual

Boll Weevil Anthonomus

Broadleaf Filaree

Broadleaf Signalgrass

Cabbage Looper Trichoplusia

Cabbage Webworm

Carpetweed

Chinch Bug

Codling Moth Cydia

Colorado Potato Beetle Leptinotarsa

Common Cocklebur Xanthium

Corn Borers

Corn Earworm

Corn Rootworm

Crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis, Digitaria ischaemum, Digitaria ciliaris

Cupgrass Eriochloa gracilis, Eriochloa villosa

Cutworms Agrotis ipsilon, Agrotis orthogonia, Peridroma saucia

Dallisgrass

Diamondback Moth

Eastern Nightshade Solanum americanum, Solanum nigrum, Solanum ptycanthum, Solanum saccachoides

European Corn Borer Ostrinia

Flea Beetles

Fleahoppers

Florida Pusley

Foxtail Species Setaria venticillata, Setaria faberi, Setaria viridis, Setaria glauca

Goosegrass Eleusine

Grasshopper Melanoplus sanguinipes, Camnula pellacida

Green Peach Aphid Myzus

Jimsonweed Datura

Johnsongrass seedling Sorghum

Kochia Kochia

Lambsquarters Chenopodium

Leafhoppers

Leafminer Liriomyza trifolii, Liriomyza sativa, Liriomyza huidobrensis

Leafroller Archips rosanus, Archips argyrospila, Argyrotaenia velutinana, Choristorenra rosaceana

Lygus Bug Lygus

Nightshades Solanum americanum, Solanum nigrum, Solanum ptycanthum, Solanum saccachoides

Northern Corn Rootworm Diabrotica longicornus barberi, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

Nutsedges Cyperus rotundus, Cyperus esculentus

Panicum, Fall Panicum

Panicum, Texas Panicum

Pea Aphid

Pear Psylla Cacopsylla

Pennsylvania Smartweed Polygonum

Perennial Ryegrass

Pigweed, Redroot Amaranthus

Pink Bollworm Pectinophora

Prickly Sida Sida

Purslane

Quackgrass

Ragweeds Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Ambrosia trifida

Sandbur, Field Cenchrus

Seedcorn Beetle

Seedcorn Maggot

Shattercane Sorghum

Sicklepod Cassia

Silverleaf Whitefly Bemisia tabaci, Bemisia argentifolii

Sod Webworm

Southern Armyworm

Southern Corn Leaf Beetle

Southern Corn Rootworm Diabrotica

Southwestern Corn Borer Diatrea

Spider Mites Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychus turkestani, Tetranychus pacificus, Tetranychus cinnabarinus

Spotted Cucumber Beetle Diabrotica

Spurge

Spurred Anoda Anoda

Stalk Borer

Stink Bug Nezara viridula, Chlorockroa say, Euschistus consperus

Sweet Potato Silverleaf Whitefly Bemisia tabaci, Bemisia argentifolii

Tarnished Plant Bug Lygus

Thrips

Tobacco Budworm Helicoverpa

True Armyworm

Two-spotted Spider Mite

Velvetbean Caterpillar

Velvetleaf Abutilon

Venice Mallow Hibiscus

Waterhemp

Western Corn Rootworm Diabrotica longicornus barberi, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera

White Grub

Whiteflies

Wild Mustard Brassica

Wild Sunflower Helianthus

Wireworms Melanotus fissilis, Limonius spp. Many species in the order Coleoptera, family Elatoridae.

Yellow Nutsedge

Yellow Striped Armyworm

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