Armyworm Moth
(Mythimna unipuncta - 10438)
Identification: Forewing tan, often tinged with orange and lightly speckled with black. A couple of more orange spots on each wing is typical. Ditto for a couple of small white dots with a white line passing through them.
Habitat: Common to abundant throughout North American except for the Arctic. Also found in other locations throughout the world.
Food: Larvae are generalist feeders on many species of plants: alfalfa, corn and other grains, grasses, vegetables, many weeds and other wild plants, leaves of fruit trees and ornamentals.
Life Cycle: Two or three generations per year; overwinters as either a pupa or partially-grown larva which pupates in the spring.
Remarks: Moth was photographed on moth bait, a mixture that's mostly brown sugar with enough beer to liquify and a tablespoon of molasses. It supposedly mimics tree sap upon which many moths feed.
To see photos of this moth's complete life cycle including caterpillar, pupa and adult moth, please see Ilona Loser's excellent post on BugGuide.
(Mythimna unipuncta - 10438)
Identification: Forewing tan, often tinged with orange and lightly speckled with black. A couple of more orange spots on each wing is typical. Ditto for a couple of small white dots with a white line passing through them.
Habitat: Common to abundant throughout North American except for the Arctic. Also found in other locations throughout the world.
Food: Larvae are generalist feeders on many species of plants: alfalfa, corn and other grains, grasses, vegetables, many weeds and other wild plants, leaves of fruit trees and ornamentals.
Life Cycle: Two or three generations per year; overwinters as either a pupa or partially-grown larva which pupates in the spring.
Remarks: Moth was photographed on moth bait, a mixture that's mostly brown sugar with enough beer to liquify and a tablespoon of molasses. It supposedly mimics tree sap upon which many moths feed.
To see photos of this moth's complete life cycle including caterpillar, pupa and adult moth, please see Ilona Loser's excellent post on BugGuide.
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