Beet Armyworm Larvae

Beet Armyworm Adult

Beet Armyworm

Common: Beet Armyworm

Scientific: Spodoptera exigua

Crop Hosts: The insect prefers sugar beets but will attack a whole range of other crops including vegetables, cotton and corn.

Identification and Life Cycle: The insect overwinters as the pupa. The small adult moth, with 1 1/4-inch wingspan is grayish-brown in color. The female lays early in the spring in irregular masses of about 80 eggs each. They hatch in 2 to 5 days and the larvae feed for about 3 weeks. The mature green larvae have prominent dark lateral stripes. It pupates in the upper 1/4 inch of soil. There are normally 4 generations per season.

Geographical Distribution: Distributed throughout the Gulf Coast states and westward to the Pacific Coast.

Damage and Treatment: They are general feeders and attack foliage, stems and the roots of vegetable crops.

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.