Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK
Oklahoma Alfalfa Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station

FOLIAGE FEEDING CATERPILLARS
The foliage-feeder complex in alfalfa includes the corn earworm, green cloverworm, yellow-striped armyworm, fall armyworm, alfalfa caterpillar, webworms, and several other species which complete 4-6 generations each year, approximately one generation in each crop of alfalfa. Adult of these species lay eggs in foliage beginning soon after each harvest, and caterpillars tend to increase both in number and size as each crop of alfalfa grows. The species present may be highly variable. Because the damage caused by all is leaf-feeding or defoliation, species identifications are not important. If numbers of caterpillars exceed 5-6 per sweep, application of insecticide for control should be considered. Harvesting is an alternative to spraying when alfalfa has reached the bud stage. Additional information on insecticides registered for control of foliage-feeders can be found in OSU Extension Facts #7150.  Images of foliage feeding caterpillars
Richard Berberet, Alfalfa Entomologist  Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology  Oklahoma State University

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