Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Genus Spodoptera - Armyworm Moths

Armyworm - Spodoptera ornithogalli 9665 Small Mottled Willow Moth  - Spodoptera exigua 5aug2012-lep1 - Spodoptera ornithogalli moth_37 - Spodoptera ornithogalli Spodoptera frugiperda unknown leptidoptera - Spodoptera dolichos caterpillar eating a squash leaf - Spodoptera 7/20/2021 moth - Spodoptera frugiperda
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)
Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Subfamily Noctuinae (Cutworm or Dart Moths)
Tribe Prodeniini
Genus Spodoptera (Armyworm Moths)
Other Common Names
Armyworms (larva)
Pronunciation
SPO-dop-TAIR-ə
Numbers
Lafontaine & Schmidt (2010) listed 11 species of the genus in America north of Mexico. (1), 9 spp. in e. NA (2)
Range
throughout United States and southern Canada
Food
widely polyphagus, consuming a sweeping variety of grasses, herbs, and less frequently, woody plants (2)
Remarks
The Armyworm (Mythimna unipuncta) is placed in subfamily Hadeninae.
Print References
Heppner, J.B., 1998. Spodoptera armyworms in Florida (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Florida Dept. of Agriculture Entomology Circular 390: 1-5. (3)
Pogue, M.G., 2002. A world revision of the genus Spodoptera Guenée (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Memoirs of the American Entomological Society, 43: 1-201. (4)
Internet References
pinned adult images of four species occurring in Canada (CBIF)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)
Works Cited
1.Annotated check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America north of Mexico.
Donald J. Lafontaine, B. Christian Schmidt. 2010. ZooKeys 40: 1–239 .
2.Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America
David L. Wagner. 2011. Princeton University Press.
3.Spodoptera armyworms in Florida (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
J. B. Heppner. 1998. Florida Dept. of Agriculture Entomology Circular 390: 1-5.
4. A world revision of the genus Spodoptera (Guenée) Lepidoptera: Noctuidae
Michael G. Pogue. 2002. Memoirs of the American Entomological Society, 43: 1-201.