Other Common Names
Yellow-striped Armyworm (larva)
Cotton Cutworm (larva)
Numbers
common to abundant in southeastern states
Identification
Adult: forewing brown with bluish-brown shading inside AM line and near apex and anal angle; oblique yellowish shade line extends across orbicular spot and almost to PM line; white mark below reniform spot forks to form a sideways Y shape; lower median area dark gray (or orangish-yellow in form "flavimedia"); hindwing translucent white with blackish veins and terminal line
[adapted from description by Charles Covell]
Larva: smooth-skinned, pale gray to black with yellowish-orange stripe along each side and two black triangular spots on top of most segments; head capsule brown with black markings and white inverted V shape
Range
across southern United States (Florida to California) plus eastern states, west to Kansas, and southeastern Canada from Nova Scotia to Ontario
Season
adults fly from April to November; most common June to September
Food
Larvae feed on many herbaceous plants, including alfalfa, asparagus, bean, beet, cabbage, clover, corn, cotton, cucumber, grape, grass, jimsonweed, morning glory, onion, pea, peach, peanut, pokeweed, sweet potato, tobacco, tomato, turnip, wheat, watermelon, and wild onion.
Life Cycle
Overwinters as pupae in soil. Adult emergence begins in early April and continues into May. Egg masses placed on foliage, trees, or buildings. Eggs hatch in about 6 days, and larvae feed for 3 weeks. Sixth instar larvae burrow into soil to pupate. Moths emerge in two weeks. Entire life cycle takes 4-6 weeks. Three to four generations per year.
See Also
Adults of Western Yellowstriped Armyworm (S. praefica) are very similar but do not occur east of the Rockies.
Internet References
live adult and larva images (John Himmelman, Connecticut)
live adult images by various photographers, plus photos of related species (Moth Photographers Group)
adult images and dates (Larry Line, Maryland)
pinned adult image (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)
links to live larva images by various photographers (forestryimages.org)
live larva images by David Jones, plus description, foodplants, biology, control methods (Phillip Roberts and Paul Guillebeau, U. of Georgia)
comprehensive illustrated overview including distribution, seasonality, description and photos of all life stages, biology, foodplants, feeding damage, natural enemies, control methods, references (John Capinera, U. of Florida)
presence in California; list (U. of California at Berkeley)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)
