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Cotton Bollworm Moth

Helicoverpa armigera

The Cotton Bollworm Moth is a small, colorful moth that loves to fly around gardens and fields. It has beautiful wings that can be brown or green, making it look like a tiny piece of nature's art!

Habitat: Fields and gardens

Appearance

The Cotton Bollworm Moth has dull yellowish-brown or olive-green forewings, often marked with faint dark spots or a band. Its hindwings are paler with a distinct dark band along the edge, making it blend well with plants.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderLepidopteraFamilyNoctuidaeGenusHelicoverpa
Cotton Bollworm Moth
solitary trait badgecamouflaged trait badgecolorful trait badgegrassland trait badge
Cotton Bollworm Moth

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

It can eat over 180 different kinds of plants, from cotton to tomatoes!

Its caterpillars are one of the world's most notorious crop pests, causing billions in damage!

Some of these moths have developed resistance to common pesticides, making them super tough.

The caterpillar is called a 'bollworm' because it often bores into cotton bolls!

Special abilities

Ability

Chemical Sniffer

Cotton Bollworm Moth can smell tiny chemical signals with its antennae, helping it find the perfect plants to lay eggs on.

Ability

Night Flight

Cotton Bollworm Moth can fly long distances in the dark, using the night to search for new food sources or mates.

Ability

Survival Camouflage

Cotton Bollworm Moth has dull colors and patterns that help it blend perfectly into plants, hiding from hungry predators.

Ability

Tough Eater

Its caterpillar stage can eat many plant types and sometimes even resist poisons, making it a very tricky pest for farmers.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
30-40 mm
Size
15-20 mm
Lifespan
10-23 days
Flight Speed
5-15 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Caterpillars munch on plant parts, while adult moths sip nectar.

Age differences: Caterpillars consume plant tissues; adults primarily feed on nectar.

Primary Foods

  • Cotton
  • Corn
  • Tomatoes
  • Chickpeas
  • Sorghum
  • Tobacco

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Upland Cotton

Gossypium hirsutum

Its caterpillars cause significant damage to cotton bolls.

eaten by

Corn

Zea mays

Caterpillars bore into corn kernels and stalks, damaging crops.

eaten by

Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

A common target for the larvae, which feed on tomato fruits.

parasitizes

Parasitoid Wasp

Trichogramma pretiosum

This tiny wasp lays its eggs inside the bollworm's eggs.

hunts

Green Lacewing

Chrysoperla carnea

Lacewing larvae are important predators of bollworm eggs and young caterpillars.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Don't touch moths or caterpillars you find outside; they might not like it!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cotton Bollworm Moth's wingspan?

30-40 mm

How big is Cotton Bollworm Moth?

15-20 mm

How long does Cotton Bollworm Moth live?

10-23 days

How fast can Cotton Bollworm Moth fly?

5-15 km/h

What does Cotton Bollworm Moth eat?

Caterpillars munch on plant parts, while adult moths sip nectar.

Where is Cotton Bollworm Moth usually found?

Fields and gardens

How does Cotton Bollworm Moth hunt?

Foraging

How many legs does Cotton Bollworm Moth have?

6

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