CORN EARWORM

also called Cotton Bollworm, or Tomato Fruitworm, larva of the moth Heliothis zea (in some classifications H. armigera; family Noctuidae). The smooth, fleshy green or brown caterpillars are serious crop pests before they pupate in the soil. Four or five generations of the pale brown adult moths (wingspan 3.5 cm [about 1 1/3 inches]) are produced annually. The larvae feed largely on corn (maize), especially the small kernels at the tips of the ears, and also damage tomatoes, cotton, and other seasonal crops.