1. Helicoverpa zea
A common agricultural pest that attacks many different crops,
including tomato, cotton, corn, and many other fruit and vegetables.
There are three different names for this pest:
Cotton Bollworm
Photo: Virginia Tech Extension
Tomato Fruitworm
Corn Earworm
Pest Identification
2. Helicoverpa zea
Eggs are round with slightly flat tops
and creamy-white in color, developing
a reddish-brown stripe just before
hatching. Eggs hatch in 2-10 days.
Lifecycle Photo: UC IPM
3. Larvae may be green, brown, pink yellow or black,
and grow up to 5 cm long. They have black heads,
obvious spikey hairs, and alternating stripes along
their bodies. Larval stage is 14-21 days.
Lifecycle
Photo: UC IPM
Photo: Okstate.edu
Helicoverpa zea
4. Helicoverpa zea
Once the larva finish feeding, they drop to the ground
and enter the soil near the base of the plant where
they transform into shiny brown pupae.
During the summer pupae stage lasts 10-14 days.
Pupae can also remain dormant in the soil over winter.
Lifecycle
5. Adult moths are usually light yellow-olive
in color. Their forewings have a single spot
in the center and 3 dark bands.
Lifecycle
Photo: Clemson University
Helicoverpa zea
6. Moths lay eggs at dusk on host plants on warm days.
Tomato Fruitworm eggs are deposited on the
Lifecycle
leaves of tomato plants.
Corn Earworm eggs are deposited inside corn
silks and on corn tassels.
Helicoverpa zea
7. Helicoverpa zea
If eggs hatch on a tomato plant, larvae will enter the fruit near the
stem and create a watery, internal cavity while feeding on fruit pulp.
The worm will burrow out when it is ready to continue to pupae stage.
Larvae in eggs that hatch on corn will feed on the
tassels, leaves, shoots silks and kernels.
Damage
