American bollworm

American bollworm 

Helicoverpa armigera: Noctuidae: Lepidoptera.

ü It is a polyphagous pest. Host range: Cotton, Pulses, Maize, Sorghum, Tomato, Bhendi, Chilli, Potato, Tobacco, Sunflower, etc.,

ü Eggs – are spherical in shape and creamy white in color, laid singly on tender parts of the plants.

ü  Larva: Polyphagous, Green with dark broken grey lines and dark and pale bands. Shows colour variation- greenish to brown.

ü Pupa – brown in colour, occurs in soil, leaf, and pod and crop debris.

ü Adult - light pale brownish yellow stout moth.
Forewing grey to pale brown with “V” shaped speck. Hind wings are pale smoky white with a broad blackish outer margin. 

ü  Nature of damage: The neonate larva scrapes the tender as well as slightly older leaves. Later they bore and feed on the flower buds, flowers, squares and tender bolls, which will drop off. The growing caterpillar make a big circular hole near the tip of the boll, puts its head inside and feeds on the immature seeds, while rest of the body remains outside the boll. The larva never enters the boll completely. The faeces of the larva are found below the infected bolls in large quantities as pellets.

Source: Wikipedia