Larvae may be found in the soil resting in the shade. Eggs hatch in 3 to 5 days, and larvae feed for 5 to 6 weeks before pupating in the soil in early September. Moths emerge in June and July to mate and lay eggs. The Bertha armyworm overwinters as a pupa. The larvae are quite mobile and may attack several plants. As they grow, they disperse and move towards the center of the plant. They skeletonize the leaves and may completely consume small leaves on seedlings. The tiny first instar larvae feed in groups near the egg mass. As they grow larger, they tend to disperse and consume irregular patches of foliage or entire leaves.īiology and life history Beet armyworm eggs are laid on leaves of crops or weeds in clumps or masses that the female covers with white hairlike scales, giving the egg masses a cottony appearance. The reddish brown pupa, about 0.75 inch long, is in a cell with a thin lining of silk.Īrmyworm larvae feed in colonies shortly after hatching and skeletonize leaves. The larvae grow to about 1.5 inches and are variable in color, with pronounced black triangular markings along each side and a prominent yellowish stripe and several narrow bright ones below. Eggs are similar to those of the beet armyworm, though the egg masses are larger and covered by a gray cottony material. Moths of the western yellowstriped armyworm have gray or brown wings with slate or buff colored markings, and have a wingspan of about 1.5 inches. The pupa is 0.75 inch long, reddish brown, with a pair of unusually long spines with curved tips on the rear (posterior ) end. Young larvae, when disturbed, quickly spin down from the plant on a strand of silk. Mature larvae are about 1.25 inches long and are variable in color. Eggs are white when laid, turning black just before hatching. The larvae are about 1.25 inches long when full grown and are mottled olive green to almost black.īertha armyworm adult moths have a wingspan up to 1.5 inches long and are predominantly gray with patches of brown, black, olive, and white. The tiny, newly hatched larvae feed in colonies. Eggs are pale green to pink, ridged, and deposited in a mass which is covered with a white cottony material. Pest description and crop damage Beet armyworm moths have a wingspan less than 1.25 inches, and are mottled gray and brown, with irregular banding and a light colored, bean-shaped spot. Western yellowstriped armyworm (Spodoptera praefica )
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |