(Spodoptera frugiperda) A migratory species that does not overwinter in the Carolinas; larvae hatch from egg masses which are often deposited in the upper third of the cotton plant, usually on the underside of leaves or in the terminal area; small larvae typically etch the bracts of medium and large bolls before penetrating the carpel walls, often at the base of the boll. Fall armyworm larvae are also often associated with blooms. Medium to large established larvae are difficult to kill with insecticides.
