Spodoptera litura | |
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Adult | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Noctuidae |
Genus: | Spodoptera |
Species: | S. litura |
Binomial name | |
Spodoptera litura (Fabricius, 1775) |
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Synonyms | |
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Spodoptera litura, the Oriental leafworm moth, is a noctuid moth which is considered an agricultural pest. It is also known as the cluster caterpillar, cotton leafworm, tobacco cutworm, and tropical armyworm. It is found in the Indo-Australian tropics. It is also established on most Polynesian islands, where it occurs in a variety of island forms.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants and have been recorded from over 40 mostly dicotyledonous plant families. It is a major pest of many crops.
Egg mass
Emerging larvae
Caterpillar
Caterpillar
Illustration of a mounted adult
Mounted adult
Mounted adult, ventral view
Illustration showing adult and caterpillar