The ability of tobacco to serve as a trap for the tobacco budworm in cotton was investigated in Aliceville, AL in 1997. A strip of tobacco, 2 rows by 100 feet, was planted in the center of a 1.1 acre cotton field plot. This field plot was replicated four times. Using whole plant sampling to monitor immature tobacco budworms, it was determined that peak egg laying days occurred in tobacco on 3 June, 23 June, 10 July, and 1 August 1997. Tobacco budworms were present only in tobacco during the first egg-laying period. On 23 June and 4 July, tobacco budworm eggs were found in tobacco and cotton although mean number of eggs per plant was much higher in tobacco than in cotton. No larvae were observed in cotton until the last egg laying period. By 14 August, when sixth instar tobacco budworms were present in tobacco and cotton, the mean number of tobacco budworm larvae per plant was much higher in tobacco than in cotton. These results indicate that the tobacco budworm is more attracted to tobacco than cotton, and thus tobacco could be an effective trap crop for the tobacco budworm in cotton.