Helicoverpa zeaA 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:

Photo: Virginia Tech Extension

Tomato Fruitworm Corn Earworm

Cotton Bollworm

Pest Identification

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

Helicoverpa zea

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

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

Helicoverpa zea

Adult moths are usually light yellow-olive in color. Their forewings have a single spot

in the center and 3 dark bands.

LifecyclePhoto: Clemson University

Helicoverpa zea

Moths lay eggs at dusk on host plants on warm days.

Lifecycle

Tomato Fruitworm eggs are deposited on the leaves of tomato plants.

Corn Earworm eggs are deposited inside corn silks and on corn tassels.

Helicoverpa zea

Larvae in eggs that hatch on corn will feed on the tassels, leaves, shoots silks and kernels.

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.

Damage

Helicoverpa zea