Green cloverworms are commonly found in soybean. The caterpillar (larva) is green, slender and reaches a length of about 1 inch. It has three pairs of abdominal prolegs. This distinguishes it from other caterpillars found in soybean. It feeds only on leaves, and the feeding damage is similar to that of loopers. Smaller green cloverworm larvae crawl in a looping, inch-worm fashion similar to loopers. However, green cloverworm larvae often wriggle spastically when disturbed or prodded, helping to distinguish them from loopers. They may be found at any time during the season, but they are damaging only at high populations or in combination with other defoliators. For more information visit the Soybean Insects Green Cloverworm Fact Sheet (W198).
Management options
| Insecticide (Trade Names) for GREEN CLOVERWORM | Lb Active Ingredient per Acre | Amount Formulation per Acre | Performance Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| acephate 90 (Orthene 90S) | 0.75 - 0.99 | 0.83 - 1.10 lb | 8 |
| bifenthrin (Brigade 2E, Discipline 2E, Fanfare 2E) | 0.063 - 0.10 | 4 - 6.4 oz | 9 |
| chlorantraniliprole (Vantacor 5 SC) | 0.047 - 0.067 | 1.2 - 1.71 oz | 9 |
| chlorantraniliprole, bifenthrin (Elevest) | See label | 4.8 - 9.6 oz | 9 |
| chlorantraniliprole, λ-cyhalothrin (Besiege) | See label | 6 - 8 oz | 9 |
| diflubenzuron (Dimilin 2) | 0.031 – 0.063 | 2 - 4 oz | 9 |
| esfenvalerate (Asana XL 0.66E) | 0.015 - 0.03 | 2.9 - 5.8 oz | 9 |
| indoxacarb (Steward 1.25) | 0.055 - 0.11 | 5.6 - 11.2 oz | 9 |
| methomyl (Lannate LV 2.4) | 0.23 - 0.45 | 12 - 24 oz | 9 |
| methoxyfenozide (Intrepid 2) | 0.063 - 0.125 | 4 - 8 oz | 9 |
| novaluron (Diamond 0.83E) | 0.039 - 0.052 | 6 - 9 oz | 8 |
| permethrin (Pounce 3.2E) | 0.05 - 0.1 | 2 - 4 oz | 8 |
| spinetoram (Radiant SC 1) | 0.016 - 0.031 | 2 - 4 oz | 9 |
| spinetoram, methoxyfenozide (Intrepid Edge) | See label | 4 - 6.4 oz | 9 |
| spinosad (Blackhawk 36% WDG) | 0.034 - 0.05 | 1.1 - 2.2 oz | 9 |
| β-cyfluthrin (Baythroid XL 1) | 0.025 - 0.044 | 1.6 - 2.8 oz | 9 |
| γ-cyhalothrin (Declare 1.25) | 0.0075 - 0.0125 | 0.77 - 1.28 oz | 9 |
| λ-cyhalothrin (Warrior II 2.08) | 0.015 - 0.025 | 0.96 - 1.6 oz | 9 |
| Z-cypermethrin (Mustang Maxx 0.8E) | 0.0175 - 0.025 | 2.8 - 4 oz | 9 |
- Do not confuse green cloverworm (3 pairs of prolegs) with loopers (2 pairs), which are more difficult to control with insecticides.
- For more information see https://utcrops.com/soybean/soybean-insects/soybean-insects-publications/.