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The beet armyworm is a sporadic pest in the southern U.S., primarily in the Coastal Plain. It is up to 1-1/2 inches long, with variable color, pale to dark green or almost black. A distinguishing characteristic is a black spot above the middle pair of true legs.
This foliage feeder often attacks young soybeans, giving the seedlings a scorched appearance similar to herbicide injury. Defoliation of pigweed serves as a warning of potential problems in soybean fields. Accurate identification is important because this is one of the most expensive soybean pests to control chemically. |
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