Description: Larvae have three pairs of abdominal prolegs and thrash violently when disturbed. Larvae are 25 to 30 mm long when fully grown and are pale green with two white, longitudinal stripes on each side. Adults are dark brown or black with spotted or mottled wings and a wingspan of about 30 mm.

Hosts: Alfalfa, beans, clover, cowpea, soybean, strawberry, vetch, many common weeds, and other legumes.

Damage: Larvae are foliage feeders and can defoliate plants if high numbers are present. These larvae are common in soybeans, but rarely reach pest status unless found in combination with other defoliating caterpillars. Low numbers of green cloverworm larvae serve as a valuable food source for beneficial insects and diseases.

Life Cycle: Green cloverworms overwinter either as pupae or adults. Moths become active in the spring and lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves. Eggs hatch in less than a week and larvae may feed for four weeks. Larvae burrow into litter or soil and pupate. Four or more generations occur annually in Georgia.

Green cloverworm on soybeans
Photo by: David Jones, UGA

Green cloverworm on soybeans
Photo by: David Jones, UGA