FALL ARMYWORM MOTH

Spodoptera frugiperda

OWLET MOTH FAMILY (Noctuidae)

The Fall Armyworm Moth has a wingspan of 1 - 1 5/8 inches.  It is sexually dimorphic.  The forewing of the male is tan with dark brown shading on the outer half of the wing.  There is an oblique pale bar in mid-wing.  The forewing of the female is uniformly grayish-brown with indistinct lines and spots.  The hindwing in both sexes is silvery-white with a narrow brown border.  The caterpillar is various shades of brown with lighter tan striping.  The mature larva has a brown head with an inverted “V” mark on the face.  It grows to about 1 3/4 inches. 

This species is present year round in southern states.  The moths migrate north in summer reaching northern states in late August and September.  In some years it may be common in our area in September and October.  Adults visit lights at night.

Larval hosts are primarily grasses, but also crops and other low plants.  They are reported to eat more than 80 different plants.  The species overwinters as a pupa, but only in southern states.