---
title: "Cotton Bollworm Moth"
description: "Helicoverpa armigera — Insects & spiders. Helicoverpa armigera is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/cotton-bollworm-moth
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Cotton Bollworm Moth

> Helicoverpa armigera — Insects & spiders. Helicoverpa armigera is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae.

- Scientific name: *Helicoverpa armigera*
- Category: `insects` (Insects & spiders)
- Habitats: unknown
- iNaturalist observations: 26621
- Wikidata: [Q811652](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q811652)
- iNaturalist taxon: [83806](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/83806)

## Names

- en: Cotton Bollworm Moth
- de: Baumwoll-Sonneneule
- es: Oruga del tomate y de la mazorca
- fr: Noctuelle de la tomate
- nl: Katoendaguil
- pl: Słonecznica orężówka

## Countries with the most observations

ES (2477), RU (2180), FR (2043), IT (1599), ZA (1557), UA (1475), AT (1328), PT (1182), HU (979), BG (908), NZ (305), RO (292)

## Summary

Helicoverpa armigera is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is known as the  cotton bollworm, corn earworm, Old World (African) bollworm, or scarce bordered straw (the lattermost in the UK, where it is a migrant). The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including many important cultivated crops. It is a major pest in cotton and one of the most polyphagous and cosmopolitan pest species. It should not be confused with the similarly named larva of the related species Helicoverpa zea.

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicoverpa_armigera

## Photo

![Cotton Bollworm Moth](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/cotton-bollworm-moth/medium.jpg)

Photo: Francesco Cecere · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4247368

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/cotton-bollworm-moth?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).