Larval stages range in color from green and yellow to brown and grey and can reach 1½ inches in length. Adults may be up to 1 inch in length with a wingspan reaching 1½ inches. Identificationįall armyworm moths are primarily gray in color with white markings and normally have a drop-shaped mark in the middle of the forewing. The presence of armyworms in South Carolina generally depends on population explosions from southern states located around the Gulf of Mexico, where the climate is favorable for these insects to overwinter.
The entire life cycle of a fall armyworm can be completed in a single month with the potential for three or more generations to occur in a single year. In South Carolina, the peak of the armyworm developmental season typically takes place during the summer months.
By the 6 th stage of development, the larvae will burrow into the thatch and soil layer, where they will pupate and emerge as adults 10 to 20 days later.Īrmyworms ( Spodoptera spp.) can reach up to 1½ inches in length during the larval stages. However, after the 4 th larval state, over 93% of foliage consumption occurs. Minimal damage may be observed during early development. Upon hatching, the larvae spin silken threads, which aid in dispersing them from structures, and they immediately begin feeding. They lay eggs in areas near desirable food sources, often on grass blades or upright structures, such as fenceposts and house siding. Often noticed in late summer, these highly destructive caterpillars crawl through once pleasantly green areas, and in just a few hours, turn them into brown wastelands.Īdult moths, which may be attracted by bright lighting, will lay up to 1,000 eggs in a single night. The fall armyworm ( Spodotera frugiperda) is the caterpillar species most commonly associated with foliar damage seen on turfgrasses, such as bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon) and tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea) and home landscapes in South Carolina.
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