Description:
- front wings which are a light grayish-brown, marked with dark-gray to olive-green irregular lines
- fore wings haves a darker band near the tip
- hind wings are light in color with slightly wavy dark bands, especially near the extremities
- 1 1/2-inch wing expanse
- larvae vary from light green or pink to brown or nearly black
- alternating longitudinal dark and lgiht stripes mark its body
- larvae vary from light green or pink to brown or nearly black
- coloration is so variable that it is not dependable for identification
- short microspines (visible through a hand lens) on the skin
- feeding habits are useful identifying characteristics
Damage:
- newly hatched larvae begin feeding on the plant where eggs were laid on corn silk
- larvae burrow into and eat the developing grains
- may feed in whorls of young corn plants, but usually is not an economic threat there
- larvae are cannibalistic and usually only one larva grows in each ear
