Fall Armyworm
FamilyNoctuidae
Scientific NameSpodoptera frugiperda
RangeAmericas, introduced: Africa, Asia
HabitatFarmland
About the Fall Armyworm
A moth whose caterpillars devour maize and many other crops, moving in huge numbers like an army. Adults can migrate long distances. Native to the Americas, it was detected in West Africa in 2016 and spread across sub-Saharan Africa within two years, then into Asia and Australia. It is now one of the most serious crop pests in the world.