The beet armyworm adult is a grayish brown moth with a pale circular spot near the middle of the forewing. The wingspan is 25 to 30 mm. The hind wings are whitish with dark edges. First and second instars are pale green with dark heads.
Older caterpillars are green to almost black with stripes along each side.
At first the beet armyworm pupa is light brown, but it soon darkens. D, Egg mass. G, Larval head. The beet armyworm originated in southern Asia and has since spread throughout most temperate and tropic countries. The beet armyworm has an extremely wide host range including numerous ornamental crops such as roses and geraniums.