Corn Earworm Moth
Helicoverpa zea (Boddie, 1850)
Family: Noctuidae
Subfamily: Heliothentinae
Identification: Forewing yellowish tan with variable reddish brown, olive green, or gray markings and shading. Reniform spot usually filled with dark gray. Hindwing whitish with dark gray veins and border, with surrounds whitish patch at midpoint of outermargin.
Wing Span: 3.2-4.5 cm.
Life History:
Flight: May - December, several broods.
Caterpillar Hosts: Larva (Corn Earworm or Bollworm or Tomato Fruitworm) is a pest of corn, cotton, tomato, and tobacco. The caterpillar feeds on the outer end of the ear beneath the husk.
Adult Food:
Habitat:
Range: Widespread.
Conservation:
NCGR:
Management Needs:
Alternate Scientific Names:
Heliocoverpa zea
Heliothis zea
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 731 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/large-4.jpeg?itok=7RFkuCv_)
Observation date: Oct 07, 2024
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Boone County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 09, 2025
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1160_a.jpg?itok=18UCoXzi)
Observation date: Oct 09, 2024
Submitted by: DavidSwift
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 02, 2025
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/helicoverpa_zea_241027_1900_bloomer_img_7464.jpg?itok=o-TmH9R0)
Observation date: Oct 27, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Nov 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20240929_182525785_bamona-subd.jpg?itok=yZxHE9H1)
Observation date: Sep 29, 2024
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 31, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20241025_214720635.jpg?itok=26y9lM6g)
Observation date: Oct 25, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 26, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/helicoverpa_zea_corn_earworm_moth_241019_bloomer_img_4885.jpg?itok=dY4_VivK)
Observation date: Oct 19, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 23, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/helicoverpa_zea_241019_1930_bloomer_img_6767.jpg?itok=O9DShR1O)
Observation date: Oct 19, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 23, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/helicoverpa_zea_241019_1930_bloomer_img_6761.jpg?itok=RDFsDW3l)
Observation date: Oct 19, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 23, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/cornearworm_0.jpeg?itok=gT8DfeFn)
Observation date: Oct 19, 2024
Submitted by: titoToucan
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 21, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/jev-1098.jpg?itok=wAPNqR9L)
Observation date: Oct 06, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Champaign County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20241011_202915248.jpg?itok=TTq3yNyu)
Observation date: Oct 11, 2024
Submitted by: Mike L
Region: Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 12, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/helicoverpa-zea-david-trently-2.jpg?itok=A8nCLyWv)
Observation date: Sep 27, 2024
Submitted by: David Trently
Region: Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 02, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/moth5_38.jpg?itok=zDn6t3_r)
Observation date: Sep 28, 2024
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 29, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/jev-1949.jpg?itok=s_KmsXom)
Observation date: Sep 23, 2024
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 28, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20240904_1601208682.jpg?itok=077svOhu)
Observation date: Sep 04, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 17, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/corn_earworm_moth_2_0.jpg?itok=kuL5ZMNL)
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Aug 25, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ad_2024-08-23_0226.jpg?itok=CKuJZi01)
Observation date: Aug 23, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2011.jpeg?itok=vwgQtSUv)
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 24, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ad_2024-08-19_0011.jpg?itok=BXtzQUbD)
Observation date: Aug 19, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 20, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1912.png?itok=uv5Cf93k)
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/corn_earworm_dsc03748.jpg?itok=DW93c-CT)
Observation date: Aug 08, 2024
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 09, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6727_1.jpg?itok=VSWXWNzj)
Observation date: Aug 04, 2024
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 05, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_1647_0.jpeg?itok=yL71rZVj)
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_20240726_135758.jpg?itok=f7crSLl8)
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: vvryabyy
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
- 1 of 31
- next ›
Often confused with HeliOcoverpa, a misspelling.