Larva is variable-may be green, brown, or pink with light stripes along sides and on back and may measure slightly under 2 inches. It is one of the most important insects in the United States because it causes serious damage in a wide host range. It passes the winter as a brown pupa about 2 to 6 inches below the surface of the soil.
Moths fly and lay eggs at dusk on warm days.
Eggs numbering from 500 to 3,000 are laid on host plants. Early generations feed on corn, tobacco, tomatoes, cotton, and legumes.