On the upper and lower sides of the body are green, grey and beige longitudinal stripes. The final instar is up to 40 mm long with a greyish-brown body and dark brown head capsule. Instars gradually develop into a green colour with yellowish-white stripes extending longitudinally from the neck to the tip of the abdomen. The first instar is 1 mm long, the body is white with a black head capsule. Further along the body are four pairs of abdominal ‘pro legs’ and at the last body segment is one pair of ‘anal prolegs’. Attached to the underside and front section of the body (thorax) are three pairs of short and pointy legs - these are the ‘true legs’. On the underside of the head are chewing mouthparts and inconspicuous antennae. At the front of the body is a rounded head capsule with a distinct inverted ‘Y’ marking on the forehead. The body is smooth, soft, tubular and heavily segmented. Larvae develop through five to six stages (instars) where caterpillars grow then shed their exoskeleton - a process known as moulting. The caterpillar larvae are the damaging stage of the Lawn Armyworm lifecycle. After incubating for two to five days, eggs hatch into larvae (caterpillars). Eggs are initially a creamish-tan colour, darkening with age. Eggs are round-to-oval shaped and 0.5 mm in diameter. Females generally lay 1800 - 2000 eggs over a period of five to six days, later dying after reproducing.
Eggs are generally laid in dense vegetation at the tip of a leaf but may also be found on hard surfaces and structures near a food source. Severe infestations can occur after a period of dry conditions followed by wet.Īfter mating, the adult female moth lays eggs in a cluster of 150 - 200, covering them in a mass of grey-hairs (setae). In ideal conditions, activity may extend into autumn. The lifecycle generally lasts for five to nine weeks, with two to four generations per year in spring and summer. Eggs hatch into larvae (caterpillars), larvae grow and develop through various stages, larvae pupate, then finally emerge as adult moths. During its lifetime, Lawn Armyworm undergo complete physical transformation (also known as holometabolous metamorphosis).
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