Cotton Bollworm
Helicoverpa armigera
Basic Details
Description
Taxonomy
Features
Translations
Basic Details
NameCotton Bollworm
DescriptionCotton bollworms are aggressive caterpillars that bore into cotton bolls, tomatoes, and corn ears. Identify circular entry holes to stop these destructive feeders.
TypeInsect
FamilyNoctuidae
GenusHelicoverpa
Taxonomy & Features
PhylumArthropoda
SubphylumHexapoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
SubfamilyHeliothinae
Features
- One of the world's most destructive agricultural pests (Helicoverpa armigera). Attacks over 180 plant species, including cotton, tomato, corn, and legumes
- Primary damage is caused by larvae boring into reproductive parts like cotton bolls, tomato fruits, and corn ears to feed on the interior
- Larvae are highly variable in color: they can be green, straw-yellow, reddish-brown, or almost black, often with a white stripe along the side
- Infested fruit and bolls show large, clean-cut circular entry holes. The larvae often feed with the front half of their body buried inside the fruit
- Can cause massive yield losses in cotton by destroying the developing fibers. In tomatoes, they introduce rot and make the fruit totally unmarketable
- Adult moths are medium-sized (40 mm wingspan), yellowish-brown to grey with a dark dot near the center of the forewing. They are strong fliers
- A single female can lay up to 3,000 eggs on different parts of the plant, especially near the blossoms and young fruit
- Known for developing rapid resistance to many traditional insecticides. This has led to the widespread adoption of Bt-resistant (genetically modified) crops
- Monitor for tiny white eggs and young larvae on the leaves and buds. Pheromone traps are used to track adult moth migrations
- Control using organic sprays like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) or neem oil when larvae are small. Encourage natural predators like lacewings and parasitic wasps
Names in Different Languages
Latin / ScientificHelicoverpa armigera
English (Alternate)Tomato fruitworm, Corn earworm
Hindiकपास की सुंडी (Kapas ki sundi)
Tamilபருத்தி காய்ப்புழு (Paruthi kaaippuzhu)
Teluguశనగ పచ్చ పురుగు (Sanaga pachha purugu)
Malayalamപരുത്തി കായ്തുരപ്പൻ (Parutti kāyturappan)
Kannadaಹತ್ತಿ ಕಾಯಿ ಕೊರಕ (Hatti kāyi koraka)
Sanskritकार्पास-फल-भेदक-कीट (Kārpāsa-phala-bhedaka-kīṭa)
Bengaliতুলোর বোলওয়ার্ম (Tulor bollworm)
Frenchnoctuelle de la tomate
Russianхлопковая совка (khlopkovaya sovka)
Spanishoruga de la col, gusano de la cápsula
GermanBaumwollkapselbohrer
