The corn earworm is a caterpillar that may be 1 1/2 inches long when grown, and vary in color from light green to almost black.
Young larvae damage the extremely small seed pods-this type injury is often overlooked. But when large larvae are found damaging large pods, injury is easily recognized. At times the corn earworm feeds on the foliage of beans.
This insect passes the winter as a brown pupa in the soil. Moths emerge and the first brood develops on plants like vetch, crimson clover, and tobacco, and occasionally on young cotton. Second and later broods often damage tobacco, corn, cotton, and grain sorghum, as well as soybeans.
The generation from egg to adult can be produced in about 30 days in midsummer. Damage usually occurs from late August to early September.
