Beet armyworm

Beet armyworm are found on cotton, corn, potatoes, legumes, beets, vegetables, and other plants.

Scientific name: Laphygma exigua, Prodenia litura, Spodoptera litura
Other name: Tobacco cutworm, Cotton leafworm
Greek name: Σποντόπτερα (Λάφυγμα, Προντένια)

Damage

The young larvae feed on the leaves. They usually eat the back surface of the leaves, but may also destroy the entire leaf blade, leaving only the ribs.

Enemy

The adult of Laphygma exigua has a wingspan of 25-30 mm. The anterior wings are brown with two white transverse zigzag lines, whitish and black spots. They have a dark round spot in the middle and further on a jade spot with a pale center and dark periphery.

The larva reaches a length of about 35 mm and its color varies from greenish to greyish-brown. Laterally it bears a whitish-yellow band and thin line and a series of spots.

The adult of Prodenia litura has a wingspan of 30-40 mm. The forewings are pale yellow with brown and off-white bands, lines and spots. The larva reaches a length of about 40 mm and is initially greenish in color with the first abdominal part dark brown. It then becomes blue-green-greyish-brown. It has characteristic triangular black spots on the sides and two large dark spots on the abdomen.