Fall Armyworm

The fall armyworm overwinters in Florida and moves into N.C. in July. The armyworm has a wide host range but prefers corn and other plants of the grass family. The dark gray moth has its forewings mottled with lighter and darker splotches. Each forewing has a noticeable whitish spot near the extreme tip. Light gray eggs are laid in clusters and are covered with grayish, fuzzy scale from the body of the female moth. Eggs are laid on the undersides of leaves or on fruit and hatch in 3-7 days. Each female may lay about 1,000 eggs. Several generations occur each year in N.C.