Spodoptera eridania
Non-native, native to Central and South America and the Caribbean
Found mainly in SEastern US
Life Cycle: 30-40 days
Eggs, flattened spheres, are laid on leaves in clusters, covered by the scales of the moth. Greenish hue turning to tan, 4-6 days. Larvae moults 6 times to a length of about 35mm, green to blackish green with a reddish brown head with narrow white stripe dorsally and other stripes laterally; mostly active at night. Duration 14-20 days. Pupae: largely pupates in soil at depth of 5-10 cm, mahogany brown, 16-18mm in length and 5-6mm in width. Duration 11-13 days. The adult moth’s forewings are gray and brown, mottled dark brown and black, the back wings lighter in color.
Host plant: a broad range of vegetable, fruit and ornamental crops. These were found feeding on alligator weed, the only non-native plant species and invasive on Womack creek. We have chosen not to remove this patch because the alligator weed patch also contains two bio-control insects introduced into Florida to combat the alligator weed. The army worm and the two bio-control species, the alligatorweed stem borer and the alligatorweed flea beetle are also non-native species on this creek.
Natural predators: parasitic wasps, stink bugs.