Identification
Pale green with 3 nearly parallel lines. HW white with gray outer shading.
Caterpillars vary greatly in color. They seem to take on the color of the flower they are eating - green, pink red or maroon forms are described. Consistent features include small dotlike black 'microspines' giving the body a rough texture. Later instars typically have a brown head capsule and stripes along the body including a broad pale subspiracular stripe.
Range
Maine and southern Ontario, to Florida, west to Texas and Nebraska.
Habitat
Fields, gardens, and waste lots.
Season
May to October. One generation north, two in New Jersey, continuous in the south.
Food
Cotton, tobacco, roses, ground cherries, soybean, and many others.
Life Cycle
Click on an image to view the life cycle:
Remarks
Caterpillars feed on buds, flowers, fruits, and seeds, making them an agricultural crop pest.
See Also
"the easiest way to separate the two is Heliothis virescens has rust colored prothoracic legs and subflexa does not" Maury J. Heiman, comment posted on the FaceBook mothing and moth-watching group
