Yellow-striped Armyworm,Prodenia ornithogalli (Guen.)

PLANTS ATTACKED: Corn, small grain and legumes .

DESCRIPTION: Adult. The moth has a wing-spread of about 2 inches. The front wings are dark gray to brown with zig-zag lines of light and dark areas. The hind wings are pearly white with dark margins.

Larva. The full-grown larva is 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches long. It has a pair of dorsal, triangular, black spots on each of most of the segments. There are three lines on the back; an outer bright orange stripe on each side and a median yellowish white line.

LIFE HISTORY: The female deposits eggs in masses on foliage of many plants, including trees, or on buildings, and the moth covers the egg masses with scales from her body. There are two to four generations a year. Winter is spent in the pupal stage in the soil.

DAMAGE: The larvae generally are day feeders on foliage of forage plants. They are solitary feeders, but otherwise their habits are similar to armyworms.