Bug FAQOriental leafworm moth
Spodoptera litura · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Tropical armyworm moth, Asian Cotton Leafworm
Source: Wikipedia
Adult moths have forewings 14 to 18 mm long, with males showing a more pronounced orbicular spot. The species lives on many herbaceous plants and the caterpillars feed on over 112 host species across 40 plant families. It can produce up to 12 generations a year, each lasting about a month, and adults can fly up to 1.5 km in a single flight.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males have a more noticeable orbicular spot on the forewing.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Male forewings measure 14 to 17 mm, while females are slightly larger at 15 to 18 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Pesticides are applied throughout the year because it attacks many important crops. Research is exploring the use of the fungus Nomuraea rileyi to control its larval stage.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is a generalist herbivore that lives on many different plants. Adult moths can travel up to 1.5 km in a flight lasting about four hours.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on more than 112 host species in over 40 plant families. Common hosts are tobacco, cotton, soybean, beet, cabbage and chickpeas.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
A typical population can complete about 12 generations each year. Each generation lasts roughly a month, with slightly longer cycles in winter.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its natural range spans the Oriental and Australasian regions into parts of the Palearctic, especially South Asia. Countries with large populations include China, Indonesia, India, Japan and Malaysia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Kansas, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What crops does the Oriental leafworm moth damage?
It feeds on many crops including tobacco, cotton, soybean, beet, cabbage and chickpeas.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does it have per year?
It can produce about 12 generations annually, each lasting roughly a month.
Source: Wikipedia
How far can the adult moth fly?
Adults can fly up to 1.5 km in a single flight lasting about four hours.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I control this pest?
Farmers use pesticides year-round and researchers are testing the fungus Nomuraea rileyi against the larvae.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spodoptera_litura
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.