Seasonal development
and life cycle—Armyworms
Armyworm eggs are laid in fluffy masses on the crowns of seedlings and leaves of older plants. Newly
hatched larvae feed together near the egg cluster and gradually disperse as they grow. Older larvae chew
irregular pieces from leaves and feed on green fruit. Larvae usually do not feed on fruit until the third
or fourth instar, but in later generations, they may enter fruit soon after hatching. Armyworms pupate
in a cell on or just below the soil surface. The adult is a gray and brown mottled moth. The life cycle
takes about a month in warm weather and there are about three to five generations per year.
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Armyworm egg mass |
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Armyworm
larva
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Armyworm
adult
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