Armyworm – Pseudaletia unipuncta – Mythimna unipuncta

Armyworm   Scientific Name: Mythimna unipuncta Common Name: True armyworm Appearance: True armyworms are greyish-brown moths with a fairly large wingspread of 1.5-inches. The forewings are brown, while the hind wings are grey with small white spots. The larvae have a cylindrical, long body with pale white stripes. Host Plants or Food: True armyworm feeds on plants belonging to the grass family. This includes corn, rice, barley, and weed grasses. Adult moths also feed on flower nectar and decaying fruits. Territory: Throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Mode of Damage: Primarily, armyworms are leaf chewers and damage the plants by skeletonizing the foliage. Besides consuming the leaves, they may also be flower and fruit feeders. Habits and Life History: True armyworms are grain pests that move in an army from field to field. Once the army consumes all the available grain, it migrates to the next in search of food which is why they are found near fields. Both the adults and the larvae feed during the night. The females lay yellowish-white eggs in clusters arranged in rows on the leaves. Cooler temperatures promote egg hatching, leading to a larger population. They produce greyish-brown larvae with a yellowish head capsule. It takes almost 20 days for the larva to mature into a pupa. Depending upon the conditions, adults emerge from the pupae in 1 to 2 weeks. Depending upon the area, there may be 2 to 3 generations per year.