Helicoverpa armigera

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Holometabola
Order	Lepidoptera
Superfamily	Noctuoidea
Family	Noctuidae
Subfamily	Heliothinae
Genus	Helicoverpa

Scientific Name

Helicoverpa armigera

Common Name

old world bollworm, cotton bollworm

Overview

Introduction
Old world bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, larvae prefer to feed on reproductive parts of hosts (flowers and fruits) but may also feed on foliage. They bore holes into the reproductive parts and feed within the pant, so you usually need to cut open the plant organs to detect the larvae. Frass can often be seen outside the bore hole. H. armigera is widely distributed throughout the Old Word and was reported in Brazil in 2013.

Appearance
Teh rounded eggs begin yellowish-white and shiny, but change to dark-brown before hatching. They have a diameter of from 0.02-0.024 in. Larvae darken in color with each of their six molts. They begin translucent to yellowish white in color. Their color ranges from bluish green to brownish red as they molt, with their diet affecting their color. They have a spotted appearance because of the dark sclerotized setae, tubercle bases, and spiracles. Their head, prothoracic shield, supra-anal shield and prothoracic legs are also dark. They often have lines or stripes. Pupae are cylindrical and tan to dark brown. They range from 0.56- 0.88 in. long. Adults have a stout body with about 1.375 - 1.56 in. wing span. The body is from 0.56-0.75 in. long. Males are usually yellowish-brown, light yellow, or light brown and females are orange-brown, but color can vary. The forewings have a black to dark brown kidney-shaped marking near the center, while hind wings are creamy white with a dark brown to dark gray band along the outer margin.

Life Cycle
H. armigera pupae overwinter in the soil. Adults emerge in May - June and begin laying single eggs their many host plants, usually on or near flowers or flower parts.They produce 2-6 generations a year depending on the climate. Second generation aults in northern regions may migrate south in the fall.

Resources

• Sullivan, M. and T. Molet. 2007. CPHST Pest Datasheet for Helicoverpa armigera. USDA-APHIS-PPQ-CPHST. Revised April 2014.
• CABI.org
• The State of Queensland (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries)
• LepIntercept - An identification resource for intercepted Lepidoptera larvae

Images from Bugwood.org