Skip to main content

NC State Extension

Velvetbean Caterpillar

en Español / em Português
Español

El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.

Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.


Português

Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.

Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.


English

English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.

Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.

Collapse ▲

Velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hubner)

Family: Noctuidae, Order: Lepidoptera

velvetbean_caterpillarAdult – This moth has a wingspan of 30 to 38 mm. The forewings are ash gray, light yellowish-brown, or dark reddish-brown. The hind wings are cinnamon brown with a row of light spots near the margin. When the wings are fully extended, a dark diagonal line extending across both sets of wings is evident.

Egg – The white, prominently ribbed egg is flattened on the lower surface and turns pink before hatching. Its diameter is about 2 mm.

velvetbeanlarva

Larva – The sparsely haired larva, 2.5 to 48.0 mm long, varies in color from green to brown or black. It has a light, dorsal stripe bordered by broad, dark stripes, and a broad, white, longitudinal stripe on each side. The larva has five pairs of prolegs and thrashes vigorously when disturbed.

Pupa – The pupa, 18 to 20 mm long, is light green or brown and has three pairs of hooked spines at the end of the abdomen.

velvetbeancolorphase

Biology:  The velvetbean caterpillar is another southern species that does not overwinter in NC. In most years velvetbean caterpillar moths migrate into our state in mid-summer and colonize soybean fields. They may reproduce and reinfest late soybeans and added immigration can also occur. Populations usually do not reach damaging levels, however, about one or two years out of 10 many acres of late planted soybeans will become seriously infested. As with soybean looper, this insect occurs with much greater frequency in coastal counties from Cape Lookout and south. High numbers of velvetbean caterpillar seldom infest soybeans inland any further than about Lenoir county.

Velvetbean caterpillar moths become most numerous in August and September. The moths have a wingspan of approximately 1 1/2” and vary in color from light tan, or cinnamon, to chocolate but always have a black line running from wing-tip to wing-tip; the wings are held out from the body. Caterpillars are green when small but may range from light green, yellow, or black when larger. There are narrow and wider longitudinal light colored lines running the length of the body, the head is yellow or orange, and there are five pair of fleshy prolegs. Velvetbean caterpillars are very active ,often wiggling violently when placed in the hand. Larger caterpillars have a voracious appetite and fields are sometimes stripped of foliage. If present at high numbers, pod clipping may occur after most foliage is consumed.

Recommendations:  Since this is a sporadic pest there are no cultural practices directed to velvetbean caterpillar management, however, early maturing fields seldom get economic infestations. Scouting, the application of thresholds, and treatment with insecticide on an as-needed basis are the primary management tactics. This insect is very easily killed with almost any class of insecticide and low rates can be successfully used.

velvetbeandamage

Thresholds:  The threshold for velvetbean caterpillar is 30% defoliation throughout the plant two weeks prior to blooming (R1) and 15% defoliation two weeks prior to blooming until the pods have filled (R7-R8).