Image credit: Keith Weller

Fall armyworm

Spodoptera frugiperda

The fall armyworm is a highly polyphagous migratory lepidopteran pest species.  It can colonize over 80 different plant species including many grasses, and crops such as alfalfa, soybean, sorghum, and corn. Eggs are laid in clusters…

Expand pest biologyCollapse pest biology

The fall armyworm is a highly polyphagous migratory lepidopteran pest species.  It can colonize over 80 different plant species including many grasses, and crops such as alfalfa, soybean, sorghum, and corn. Eggs are laid in clusters of 50 or more in a single layer attached to foliage. Newly hatched larvae are pale green with black heads and during the second instar the head turns an orange-brown color. Fully grown larvae are 1.25 – 1.5 inches in length and vary in color from pale green to almost black, with a reddish-brown head.  They closely resemble true armyworm, and corn earworm larvae in appearance.

Distribution map for Fall armyworm
Global distribution of fall armyworm

Resistance status

Several biochemical mechanisms may contribute to the evolution of insecticide resistance. These mechanisms may act separately or in concert. Known resistances occure in the following classes: Carbamates, Group: 1A Organophosphates, Group: 1B Pyrethroids, Group: 3 Bacillus…

Expand resistance summaryCollapse resistance summary

Several biochemical mechanisms may contribute to the evolution of insecticide resistance. These mechanisms may act separately or in concert. Known resistances occure in the following classes:

Carbamates, Group: 1A
Organophosphates, Group: 1B
Pyrethroids, Group: 3
Bacillus thuringiensis, Group: 11A

Key resources

All resources →

Key references

Key references
ReferenceYearAuthorsPublisher
Comparative analysis of the genetic basis of Cry1F resistance in two strains of Spodoptera frugiperda originated from Puerto Rico and FloridaVol. 146, pp. 47-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.03.013 2017Camargo AM, Castenera P, Farinos GP, Huang FJournal Of Invertebrate Pathology
Cross-resistance to purified Bt proteins, Bt corn and Bt cotton in a Cry2Ab2-corn resistant strain of Spodoptera frugiperdaVol. 73, pp. 2495-2503. DOI: 10.1002/ps.4644 2017Yang F, Kerns DL, Head GP, Price P, Huang FPest Management Science
Susceptibility of Cry1F-maize resistant, heterozygous, and susceptible Spodoptera frugiperda to Bt proteins used in the transgenic cottonVol. 98, pp. 128-135. DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2017.03.023 2017Yang F, Kerns DL, Head GP, Brown S, Huang FCrop Protection
Expand referencesCollapse references
Key references
ReferenceYearAuthorsPublisher
EPPO Bulletin PM 7/124 Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera litura, Spodopterafrugiperda, Spodoptera eridaniaVol 45 (3), pp. 410-444 2015EPPOEuropean and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization
Status of resistance to Bt maize in Spodoptera frugiperda: lessons from Puerto RicoVol. 110(3):294-300. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2012.04.007 2012Storer NP, Kubiszak ME, Ed King J, Thompson GD, Santos ACJournal Of Invertebrate Pathology