Tobacco Budworm Moth
Chloridea virescens (Fabricius, 1777)
Family: Noctuidae
Subfamily: Heliothentinae
Identification: Forewing pale green with 3 nearly parallel lines as in Subflexus Straw, but usually no white edging on basal side of median line. Postmedian line ends before reaching costa and is not continued to apex by black dash. Reniform spot outline darker, outer side more curved. Hindwing white, usually with prominent gray shading, though this is absent in some males.
Wing Span: 2.7-3.8 cm.
Life History:
Flight: 2 broods, May - October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Larva is a serious pest on tobacco. First brood larvae eat buds while second brood eat flowers and seedpods. Also feeds on ageratum, geraniums, roses, and members of the nightshade family.
Adult Food:
Habitat:
Range: Maine and southern Ontario to Florida, west to Nebraska and Texas.
Conservation:
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs:
Taxonomy Notes: Formerly in the genus Heliothis. See Pogue (2013), Lafontaine & Schmidt (2015), Lafontaine & Schmidt, 2015: 140.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Heliothis virescens
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 236 verified sightings
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Observation date: Sep 16, 2023
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
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Observation date: Sep 05, 2018
Submitted by: PattyCampbell.
Region: Chatham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 16, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6010_3.jpg?itok=3jM5Mz3-)
Observation date: Oct 15, 2017
Submitted by: kimbird246
Region: Durham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 16, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/unknown_caterpillar_on_verbena_bonariensis.jpg?itok=ULeWPH49)
Observation date: Oct 07, 2018
Submitted by: bmdj
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 08, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/image_3248.jpg?itok=6En4Tk-u)
Observation date: Sep 11, 2015
Submitted by: cag3doc
Region: Polk County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 06, 2024
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/37835271_10101290517285432_2475523865564938240_n_copy.jpg?itok=DvI3YFtA)
Observation date: Jul 27, 2018
Submitted by: pquaas
Region: Linn County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 31, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 05, 2018
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 31, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 19, 2019
Submitted by: Leo-Guy
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 11, 2023
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Observation date: Jun 28, 2023
Submitted by: Ren Leaflight
Region: Franklin County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 07, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 07, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3701_0.jpeg?itok=jzTDGFZB)
Observation date: Sep 13, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 30, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 24, 2023
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 26, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 14, 2023
Submitted by: Ideckman
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 15, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 03, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 04, 2023
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Observation date: Oct 06, 2019
Submitted by: Kenaf
Region: Bracken County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
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Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 19, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: Jmelove
Region: Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 17, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/44245bd4-5c1a-4f2f-a394-77f7b18dca11.jpeg?itok=7H84tXts)
Observation date: Sep 10, 2019
Submitted by: Betseebee
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 03, 2023
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: mcduck
Verified date: Aug 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0721_caterpillar_on_petunia.jpg?itok=Buo_xqkJ)
Observation date: Jun 28, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 29, 2023
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Observation date: Apr 08, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
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Observation date: Apr 08, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
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Observation date: Feb 13, 2023
Submitted by: sofia.pione
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 02, 2023
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