Development of alternative insecticides for the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (TBW) and the bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), (CBW) with a recombinant form of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV-AaIt) carrying a toxin gene from the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector could be useful for cotton pest management programs because the pathogen is pest specific, environmentally safe, and compatible with other insect control technologies. Greenhouse tests involving multiple sprays on squaring cotton over four weeks showed that formulations of AcNPV-AaIt effectively reduced damage by TBW and to a lesser extent, CBW. A greenhouse test with transgenic cotton (NuCotn 33) containing the insect resistant Bollgard^® gene derived from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner showed that AcNPV-AaIt acted additively with NuCotn 33 in reducing CBW damage; whereas, the transgenic cotton itself was sufficient to control TBW infestations. A field test showed that AcNPV-AaIt formulations effectively reduced a CBW/TBW infestation over four weeks without detrimental impact on other insects or nontarget arthropods.