Moth larva (Heliothis zea, family Noctuidae) that damages corn, tomato, cotton, and other seasonal crops. The smooth, fleshy, green or brown caterpillars feed on corn kernels near the tip of the ear and burrow into tomatoes and cotton bolls. Four or five generations of the pale brown adult moths, with wingspans of 1.3 in. (3.5 cm), are produced annually.

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Any larva of various moth species, including the pink bollworm (family Gelechiidae) and some Heliothis species (family Noctuidae; see corn earworm). Bollworms attack corn, tomatoes, cotton, peas, alfalfa, beans, soybeans, flax, peanuts, and other commercial crops. They can be controlled by natural parasites, early crop planting, trap crops, and insecticides.

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• Red or Sudan Bollworm: Diaparopsis
• Rough Bollworm: Earias buegeli
• Spotted Bollworm: Earias fabia
• Spiny Bollworm: Earias insulana
• Spotted Bollworm: Earias vittella
• African Cotton Bollworm or Tomato Grub: Helicoverpa armigera
• Cotton Bollworm: Helicoverpa gelotopoeon
• Cotton Bollworm: Helicoverpa punctigera
• American Cotton Bollworm or Corn Earworm: Helicoverpa zea
• Tobacco Budworm: Heliothis virescens
• Pink Bollworm: Pectinophora gossypiella
• Pink Spotted Bollworm: Pectinophora scutigera

See also

• Boll weevil, the beetle Anthonomus grandis

External Links

• H. virescens, tobacco budworm on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site