First Report of the Egyptian Cotton Leaf Worm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Noctuidae) on Small Cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton (Zingiberaceae)

An outbreak of the Egyptian cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), is reported for the first time in India. Diagnosis, nature and intensity of damage as well as biology of S. littoralis on small cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton (Zingiberaceae) in the Cardamom Hill Reserves, Kerala, are provided. The infestation resulted in 10–65% loss of leaf area. This is the first report of the armyworm genus Spodoptera on E. cardamomum as well as the first report of Zingiberaceae as hosts for S. littoralis.