![]() This species has a very broad host plant range that includes wheat, alfalfa, sorghum, corn, and other crop and non-crop plants.įall armyworm larvae feed 2 to 3 weeks. Fall armyworm does not overwinter in the northern part of Texas and does not undergo winter diapause. Life Cycleįall armyworm adults migrate north from overwintering sites in south Texas and northern Mexico and become established in corn and other crops in the spring. Photo by Pat Porterįall armyworm is native to the Western Hemisphere and overwinters in areas of mild climate. Prominent inverted “Y” suture on the head of fall armyworm, and the relatively unpronounced suture on the corn earworm. This character may be absent on younger larvae.įall armyworm larva showing the four dark spots at the end of the abdomen (left) and striping on the upper half. Older fall armyworm can be distinguished from true armyworm, corn earworm, and the corn borer species by the presence of a white inverted “Y” mark on the front of the dark reddish-brown, mottled, head capsule. They also have four dark spots arranged in a rectangle on the top of the eighth abdominal segment near the end of the abdomen. Larvae have four pairs of abdominal prolegs and a pair of anal prolegs at the tip of the abdomen. The best field identification characters do not involve color. There is a wider dark stripe down the side of the body and a wavy yellow-red blotched stripe just below this. These may be variously colored, from whitish to yellow-white to reddish. ![]() They have three fairly narrow stripes down the body as viewed from above one down the centerline and two widely separated by darker areas. Older larvae vary in color from light tan or green to blackish, and can change color as they mature. Fall armyworm has such a spot and the other two species do not.Ĭolor characters are not very reliable for fall armyworm larval identification. ![]() To distinguish young fall armyworm larvae from those of the corn earworm and southwestern corn borer, look for a small black spot on the side of the first abdominal segment, just behind the last pair of true legs on the thorax. ![]() As with most larvae, identification in the first growth stage is difficult. Small larvae range in color from a light cream when newly hatched to greenish after feeding, while medium-sized larvae range from light green to olive-green or brown. Fall armyworm female (top) and male (bottom) ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |