Tropical armyworm caterpillar

The larva is hairless, variable in colour (young larvae are light green, the later instars are dark green to brown on their backs, lighter underneath); sides of body with dark and light longitudinal bands; dorsal side with two dark semilunar spots laterally on each segment, except for the prothorax; spots on the first and eighth abdominal segments larger than others, interrupting the lateral lines on the first segment. Though the markings are variable, a bright-yellow stripe along the length of the dorsal surface is characteristic of Spodoptera litura larvae. Larval instars can be distinguished on the basis of head capsule width, ranging from 2.7 to 25 mm. Body length ranges from 2.3 to 40 mm.