Beet webworm

Webworms overwinter as larvae or pupa and emerge in early spring. Adults are small buff to smoky brown colored moths that are active at night. They may be readily observed flying out of the foliage during the day as you walk through the field. Eggs are small, yellow or green in color, and laid in groups of 2 to 20 on the underside of leaves. Beet webworm eggs are laid end to end, while those of the alfalfa webworm are in overlapping groups. The beet webworm is dark green on hatching; mature larvae are about 1.5 inches long and olive green in color with a dark band running along the center of the back and lighter stripes on each side. The alfalfa webworm is yellowish to dark green with a broad light-colored stripe down the back and a darker stripe parallel to the light stripe. The garden webworm is also yellowish to green with a pale double stripe along the center of the back and a lighter line on each side of the body. The body also has numerous distinct black spots.