Classification

Noctuoidea: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Spodoptera

Common name

armyworms

Synonyms

Laphygma, Prodenia, Calogramma, Rusidrina, Douzdrina

Before the current concept of Spodoptera was accepted, some species were placed in the genus Xylomyges.

Larval diagnosis (Detailed)

Diagnosis of mature larval Spodoptera was given in the fact sheet for S. littoralis. This discussion focuses on early instar Spodoptera and those Spodoptera that can only be identified to genus.

Several noctuid genera such as Elaphria, Galgula, Spodoptera (Wagner et al. 2011Wagner et al. 2011:
Wagner, D. L., D. F. Schweitzer, J. B. Sullivan and R. C. Reardon. 2011. Owlet caterpillars of eastern North America. Princeton University Press, New Jersey. 576 pp.), and some European relatives (Beck 1999-2000Beck 1999-2000:
Beck, H. 1999-2000. Die Larven der Europaischen Noctuidae. Revision der Systematik der Noctuidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). Herbipoliana 5/1(1): 1-864; 5/1(2): 1-448; 5/3(3): 1-512; 5/3(4): 1-336.) have larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
with a "swollen thorax" (may include A1, A2 as well), especially in the early instars. In the case of Spodoptera, the most obvious examples are in the former genus Prodenia and Xylomyges, and the "Laphygma group" (S. frugiperda and S. exigua in North America) do not show this character as clearly. This is significant for identification of these species. Early instars of S. frugiperda and S. exigua can be named if they show the characteristic mesothoracic dark spot or large pinaculapinaculum:
a small, flat, or slightly elevated chitinized area bearing a seta or setae
respectively (see fact sheets on these species). Worldwide, early instar larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
Spodoptera at the swollen thorax stage should not be identified past genus because all show basically similar markings. There is one exception: early instar S. litura from orchids from Thailand can also be identified to species based on host/origin until evidence of a sibling species in this pathway is documented. In addition, young S. eridania may well have characteristic dorsaldorsal:
at the top or back or above
and laterallateral:
to the side, or at the side of
swellings, but early instar Spodoptera are too poorly known to fully evaluate this character.

Elaphria nucicolora is often intercepted on pineapple from Latin America (PestID database). It differs from Spodoptera by having a banded head and a pair of dark dorsaldorsal:
at the top or back or above
spots on A2 (see Wagner et al. 2011Wagner et al. 2011:
Wagner, D. L., D. F. Schweitzer, J. B. Sullivan and R. C. Reardon. 2011. Owlet caterpillars of eastern North America. Princeton University Press, New Jersey. 576 pp. although the dark spot on A2 is more obvious in preserved material, Vargas Carrillo 2011Vargas Carrillo 2011:
Vargas Carrillo, E. 2011. Guide for integrated pest identification and management in pineapple. PROAGRION. San Carlos, Costa Rica. 31 pp.). It too has a "swollen thorax" and potentially could be misidentified as Spodoptera. There is an early instar larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
from Latin America with dark spots on T2, T3, A1-3 that may also be part of this complex. Spodoptera or Elaphria is a good guess for these larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
, with Spodoptera the most likely possibility.

Identification Authority (Detailed)

Identification of "Spodoptera" is usually justified when:

1. The orgin is unknown or the larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
is too young (swollen thorax stage).

2. The larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
is atypical and from the Caribbean. Spodoptera androgea and S. pulchella are both common species and their larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
are both poorly known. We can expect individuals that do not match published descriptions.

3. The larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
is from some parts of South America. We know the larvalarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
of S. ochrea and S. albula are almost identical. Larval variation in S. cosmiodes and S. descoinsi is poorly studied. These should be left at genus.

Some Old World species have poorly know larvaelarva:
the stages between the egg and pupa of those insects having complete metamorphosis
(see introduction to Spodoptera key below).

Key to recognizing Spodoptera litura littoralis intercepted at U.S. ports of entry (includes other Spodoptera)

Origin records

Spodoptera have been intercepted from the following locations:

American Samoa, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway (?), Palestinian Territory, Panama (?), Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tahiti, Taiwan, Thailand, Tortola, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom of Great Britain and N. Ireland, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe

Host records

Spodoptera have been intercepted on the following hosts:

Abelmoschus esculentus, Aconitum napellus, Aconitum sp., Allium ampeloprasum, Allium ascalonicum, Allium cepa, Allium schoenoprasum, Allium sp., Alstroemeria sp., Amaranthus sp., Ananas sp., Anemone sp., Anethum graveolens, Anethum sp., Angelica sp., Annona muricata, Anthurium sp., Antirrhinum majus, Antirrhinum sp., Apium graveolens, Apium graveolens var. dulce, Apium sp., Arachis sp., Artemisia dracunculus, Artemisia sp., Asclepias sp., Asclepias tuberosa, Asparagus officinalis, Asparagus sp., Aster sp., Asteraceae, Atriplex sp., Basilicum sp., Begonia sp., Brassica chinensis, Brassica oleracea, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, Brassica oleracea var. italica, Brassica rapa, Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis, Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis, Brassica sp., Bupleurum griffithii, Bupleurum sp., Calendula sp., Callistephus chinensis, Callistephus sp., Campanula sp., Capsicum annuum, Capsicum sp., Ceiba sp., Celosia sp., Cercis sp., Chamaemelum nobile, Chenopodium album, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Chenopodium berlandieri ssp. nuttalliae, Chenopodium sp., Chrysanthemum sp., Citrus sp., Clematis sp., Cola acuminata, Colocasia esculenta, Colocasia sp., Corchorus capsularis, Corchorus olitorius, Coriandrum sativum, Crotalaria longirostrata, Crotolaria sp., Cucurbita sp., Cuphea sp., Delphinium elatum, Delphinium sp., Dendrobium sp., Dianthus caryophyllus, Dianthus sp., Dizygothecea sp., Dysphania ambrosioides, Eruca sp., Eruca vesicaria, Eryngium foetidum, Eryngium sp., Eucalyptus sp., Eustoma sp., Evolvulus sp., Gardenia jasminoides, Gardenia sp., Gerbera sp., Gladiolus sp., Gomphrena sp., Grevillea sp., Gypsophila sp., Helianthus annuus, Helianthus sp., Heliconia sp., Hydrangea sp., Hygrophila sp., Hypoestes sp., Jasminum sp., Lablab sp., Lactuca sativa, Lactuca sativa var. longifolia, Lactuca sp., Leucospermum sp., Limonium sinuatum, Limonium sp., Lippia sp., Lisianthus sp., Lychnis coronata, Lycopersicon sp., Lysimachia sp., Majorana hortensis, Majorana sp., Maranta sp., Melicoccus bijugatus, Mentha arvensis, Mentha longifolia, Mentha morocco, Mentha officinalis, Mentha piperita, Mentha sp., Mentha spicata, Mokara sp., Momordica balsamina, Momordica charantia, Momordica sp., Moringa sp., Muscari commosum, Nymphaea sp., Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum sp., Oncidium sp., Oncidiums sp., Opuntia sp., Orchidaceae, Origanum majorana, Origanum sp., Origanum vulgare, Ornithogalum sp., Paullinia sp., Perilla sp., Persea americana, Phaseolus sp., Phaseolus vulgaris, Phlox sp., Physalis philadelphica, Piper sp., Pisum sativum, Pisum sp., Pithecellobium dulce, Polygonum sp., Porophyllum ruderale, Porophyllum sp., Portulaca oleracea, Protea sp., Pterocarpus sp., Ranunculus sp., Rosa sp., Rosaceae, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rubus sp., Rudbeckia sp., Rumex sp., Salvia officinalis, Salvia sp., Scabiosa sp., Solanaceae, Solanum melongena, Solanum sp., Solidago sp., Solidaster sp., Spinacia sp., Spirea japonica, Stellaria media, Syringa sp., Tagetes erecta, Tagetes sp., Talinum sp., Thymus sp., Thymus vulgaris, Trachelium sp., Veronica sp., Viburnum sp., Vitis vinifera, Zea mays, Zingiber officinale