---
title: "Beet Armyworm Moth"
description: "Spodoptera exigua — Insetti e ragni. The beet armyworm or small mottled willow moth (Spodoptera exigua) is one of the best-known agricultural pest insects."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/it/animal/beet-armyworm-moth
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Beet Armyworm Moth

> Spodoptera exigua — Insetti e ragni. The beet armyworm or small mottled willow moth (Spodoptera exigua) is one of the best-known agricultural pest insects.

- Scientific name: *Spodoptera exigua*
- Category: `insects` (Insetti e ragni)
- Habitats: `farm` (Fattoria)
- iNaturalist observations: 16889
- Wikidata: [Q310344](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q310344)
- iNaturalist taxon: [231425](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/231425)

## Names

- en: Beet Armyworm Moth
- de: Orangefleck-Seidenglanzeule
- es: Gusano soldado asiático
- fr: Légionnaire de la betterave
- nl: Florida-uil
- pl: Światłówka naziemnica

## Countries with the most observations

PT (2389), ES (1514), GB (1465), US (1371), FR (608), IT (316), BG (297), AU (220), MA (193), GR (143), RU (141), OM (127)

## Summary

The beet armyworm or small mottled willow moth (Spodoptera exigua) is one of the best-known agricultural pest insects. It is also known as the asparagus fern caterpillar. It is native to Asia, but has been introduced worldwide and is now found almost anywhere its many host crops are grown. The voracious larvae are the main culprits. In the British Isles, where it is an introduced species and not known to breed, the adult moth is known as the small mottled willow moth.

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

## Photo

![Beet Armyworm Moth](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/beet-armyworm-moth/medium.jpg)

Photo: Andreas Manz · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/153341266

## Machine access

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