Bug FAQSpiny Bollworm
Earias biplaga · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Nolidae
Source: Wikipedia
Adults are about 10 to 12 mm long with a wingspan of 18 to 25 mm. The forewing has a dark purplish-brown fringe at the edge, which helps identify it. Its larvae feed on Fabaceae and Malvaceae plants and are considered pests of cotton and cacao.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Length is roughly 10 to 12 mm and wingspan ranges from 18 to 25 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
It is considered a pest of cotton and cacao, affecting agricultural production.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae feed on plants in the Fabaceae and Malvaceae families. It is a known pest of cotton and cacao crops.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It occurs throughout subtropical Africa, including islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What crops does the spiny bollworm damage?
The larvae feed on and damage cotton and cacao plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I identify a spiny bollworm?
Look for a dark purplish-brown fringe on the edge of the forewing.
Source: Wikipedia
How big is a spiny bollworm?
Adults are about 10 to 12 mm long with an 18 to 25 mm wingspan.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Nolidae)
Green Silver-linesPseudoips prasinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Small Baileya MothBaileya australis
Confused Meganola MothMeganola minuscula
Gum Leaf SkeletoniserUraba lugensDamages trees, gardens or crops
Eyed Baileya MothBaileya ophthalmica
Sorghum Webworm MothNola cereellaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earias_biplaga
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.