Heliothis punctifera

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Heliothis punctifera (Walker, 1857) or the lesser budworm, is an Australian moth of the family Noctuidae; one of the most migratory families of insects. [1] It is considered a pest species to agricultural crops, however, due to its inland habitat, is found to be less damaging to agricultural areas than other species of the genus. [2] [3]

Contents

Heliothis punctifera
Heliothis punctifera.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Heliothis
Species:
H. punctifera
Binomial name
Heliothis punctifera
Walker, 1857
Heliothis punctifera Distribution map.png
Distribution of Heliothis punctifera
Synonyms
  • Neocleptria grisescensWarren, 1913
  • Heliothis leucatmaMeyrick, 1897

Taxonomy

Francis Walker first described Heliothis punctifera in 1857. The lesser budworm is an Australian species of the genus Heliothis from the family Noctuidae. [3] [4]

Heliothine moths are considered pests, however not all species are. The lesser budworm can be confused with the native budworm ( Helicoverpa punctigera ) and the cotton bollworm ( Helicoverpa armigera ), Australia's top two pest species, who are both more prevalent in agricultural areas and considered more detrimental to crops than the lesser budworm. [2] [5]

Description

The lesser budworm caterpillar has stripes of dark green to light brown that run the length of its body and are separated by thin white lines. There is a thick pale stripe on each side of its body. The light coloured hairs behind its head are what distinguish it most from other similar species. [6]

The adult lesser budworm has a bold defined pattern on its brown to orange forewings. Its hindwings are dark and fade to the base which is a lighter colour. [6] The underside of each forewing has a large dark comma-shape. In moth form it has a wingspan is about 30 mm. [7]

Dorsal view Heliothis punctifera dorsal.jpg
Dorsal view

Similar species

The lesser budworm looks very similar to the native budworm and the cotton bollworm, particularly in the larval stage where the species are difficult to differentiate. [1] [8]

The following can be used to identify differences between H. punctifera and the other similar species: [8]

Ventral view Heliothis punctifera ventral.jpg
Ventral view

Larval stage:

Helicoverpa punctigera – (differences: ranges in colour from light brown, to green, to black and has black hairs around the collar).

Helicoverpa armigera – (differences: black/brown hair on body).

Moth stage:

Helicoverpa punctigera – (differences: lighter and slightly reddish in comparison with a less distinctive wing pattern).

Helicoverpa armigera – (differences: forewing has distinctive kidney-shaped marking in the centre, hind-wing has dark bands and a lighter patch in the centre).

Adult moth Heliothis punctifera (4458658020).jpg
Adult moth

Distribution

It is found primarily in arid inland desert regions, however, it is not restricted to this environment and is found across all states of Australia. [8] [9]

Characteristics and migration

Noctuid moths tend to travel at night at high altitudes, capable of flying hundreds of kilometres. Because the lesser budworm occurs in arid inland areas, generally far from agricultural areas, there is little monitoring data on their migrations compared to the more popular pest species of heliothine moth. [3]

Lesser budworm caterpillars are considered extremely mobile, moving across the desert sands between host plants in their quest to consume many flower heads to guarantee their development. The desert plants that comprise most of their diet bloom in the winter months in a seasonal event after rains in the inland regions. [10]

Reproduction and lifecycle

The adult life of a heliothine moth is about 10 days. [11] In this time, the female moth can lay substantial amount of eggs in host plants; up to 1000. [12] [11]

Successful breeding of the lesser budworm and other heliothine moths, depends on significant rainfall in late autumn and early winter which encourages the growth of desert flowers. The variability of rainfall across arid inland Australia ensures some growth of host plants is interspersed across the country, however the amounts and locations are variable. [3]

The eggs of heliothine moths tend to hatch within 3–10 days, dependent on how warm the temperature is. Eggs and pupae have the capacity to enter a diapause phase of overwintering if temperatures are too low for metamorphosis. [13]

By late winter and early spring, incoming warmer and drier weather usually signals the senescence of the seasons individuals and brings an influx of the lesser budworm in its moth stage. Favourable wind patterns and warm nights extend their migration. [3]

Diet

Polycalymma stuartii CSIRO ScienceImage 4629 Poached egg daisies.jpg
Polycalymma stuartii

The Asteraceae are their desert flowers of choice, which tend to bloom in the winter months in large groups. Lesser budworms have been observed feeding predominantly on the species of annual yellow top, Senecio gregorii (F. Muell) and the poached egg daisy, Polycalymma stuartii (F. Muell & Sond.) and appear to prefer the annual yellow top. [2]

Senecio gregorii Senecio gregorii habit.jpg
Senecio gregorii

A study on the host location behaviour of the lesser budworm found that the distribution of caterpillars on plants is not just dependent on the adults choice for the oviposition of larvae. The caterpillars were observed moving between plants. They were also seen feeding on both the flowering heads and the vegetative tissue of the plants. The study suggests that the purpose of including the vegetative tissue in their diet is to cope with host plant overcrowding. The end of the blooming season exhibits more movement as competition for host plants is highest. [2]

Agricultural impacts

Heliothine moths are considered particularly devastating pests to agricultural areas. Due to their polyphagous eating habits, they can move between crop species and as their numbers intensify, can have huge impacts. The most damaging species identified is the cotton bollworm. [5]

The lesser budworm can be damaging to crops, however, because they primarily occur in outback areas of Australia, they are only sometimes found in agricultural areas. The ideal conditions required for the lesser budworm to cause significant damage to crops are substantial rains in summer that encourage growth in vegetation, teamed with significant winds that permit flight over long distances to reach agricultural areas. The last reported large-scale occurrence of lesser budworm damage to crops was in 2005. [1]

There are reports of damage to wheat crops in Deniliquin where white heads appeared similar to crown rot. The larvae seemed to have chewed through plants to eat the inside of the stems which affects nutrient flow to the heads of the wheat plants. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Gossypium</i> Genus of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae

Gossypium is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Gossypieae of the mallow family, Malvaceae, from which cotton is harvested. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Old and New Worlds. There are about 50 Gossypium species, making it the largest genus in the tribe Gossypieae, and new species continue to be discovered. The name of the genus is derived from the Arabic word goz, which refers to a soft substance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noctuidae</span> Type of moths commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms

The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other families of the Noctuoidea. It was considered the largest family in Lepidoptera for a long time, but after regrouping Lymantriinae, Catocalinae and Calpinae within the family Erebidae, the latter holds this title now. Currently, Noctuidae is the second largest family in Noctuoidea, with about 1,089 genera and 11,772 species. This classification is still contingent, as more changes continue to appear between Noctuidae and Erebidae.

<i>Helicoverpa zea</i> Species of moth

Helicoverpa zea, commonly known as the corn earworm, is a species in the family Noctuidae. The larva of the moth Helicoverpa zea is a major agricultural pest. Since it is polyphagous during the larval stage, the species has been given many different common names, including the cotton bollworm and the tomato fruitworm. It also consumes a wide variety of other crops.

<i>Trichogramma</i> Genus of parasitic insects

Trichogramma is a genus of minute polyphagous wasps that are endoparasitoids of insect eggs. Trichogramma is one of around 80 genera from the family Trichogrammatidae, with over 200 species worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bollworm</span> Index of animals with the same common name

Bollworm is the common term for a moth larva that attacks the fruiting bodies of certain crops, especially cotton. The most common moths known as bollworms are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink bollworm</span> Species of moth

The pink bollworm is an insect known for being a pest in cotton farming. The adult is a small, thin, gray moth with fringed wings. The larva is a dull white caterpillar with eight pairs of legs with conspicuous pink banding along its dorsum. The larva reaches one half inch in length.

<i>Heliothis</i> Genus of moths

Heliothis is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae. It was first described by Ferdinand Ochsenheimer in 1816. Some of the species have larvae which are agricultural pests on crop species such as tobacco, cotton, soybean and pigeon pea. Some species originally in this genus have been moved to other genera, see Chloridea and Helicoverpa.

<i>Helicoverpa armigera</i> Species of moth

Helicoverpa armigera is a species of Lepidoptera in the family Noctuidae. It is known as the cotton bollworm, corn earworm, Old World (African) bollworm, or scarce bordered straw. The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including many important cultivated crops. It is a major pest in cotton and one of the most polyphagous and cosmopolitan pest species. It should not be confused with the similarly named larva of the related species Helicoverpa zea.

<i>Helicoverpa</i> Genus of moths

Helicoverpa is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae first described by David F. Hardwick in 1965. Some species are among the worst Lepidopteran agricultural pests in the world, and three species migrate long distances both with and without human transportation, mixing resistance alleles along the way.

<i>Helicoverpa punctigera</i> Species of moth

Helicoverpa punctigera, the native budworm, Australian bollworm or Chloridea marmada, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. This species is native to Australia. H. punctigera are capable of long-distance migration from their inland Australian habitat towards coastal regions and are an occasional migrant to New Zealand.

<i>Chloridea virescens</i> Species of moth

Chloridea virescens, commonly known as the tobacco budworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae found throughout the eastern and southwestern United States along with parts of Central America and South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heliothinae</span> Subfamily of moths

Heliothinae is a small, cosmopolitan subfamily of moths in the family Noctuidae, with about 400 described species worldwide. It includes a number of economically significant agricultural pest species, such as Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea.

<i>Helicoverpa assulta</i> Species of moth

Helicoverpa assulta, the oriental tobacco budworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. H. assulta adults are migratory and are found all over the Old World Tropics including Asia, Africa, and Australia.

<i>Trigonella suavissima</i> Species of plant

Trigonella suavissima is a herbaceous plant that is endemic to Australia. It is a member of the genus Trigonella and the family Fabaceae. Common names include Cooper clover, Menindee clover, calomba, Darling trigonella, sweet fenugreek, channel clover, sweet-scented clover and Australian shamrock.

<i>Copidosoma</i> Genus of wasps

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<i>Cajanus scarabaeoides</i> Species of flowering plant

Cajanus scarabaeoides is a flowering plant in the genus Cajanus. Of the 32 different species within the genus Cajanus, only one, C. cajan (pigeonpea), is cultivated. Cajanus scarabaeoides is the closest wild relative to C. cajan, and is one of the easiest wild species to cross with pigeonpea cultivars. C. scarabaeoides is found naturally in both temperate and tropical zones around the globe. This species has higher levels of drought tolerance, is found to have greater protein content, and has higher levels of resistance to insect pests compared to cultivated types. These genetic traits can be crossed with C. cajan to improve the crop's productivity. For subsistence farmers, this can reduce economic losses and drastically improve overall crop yield.

<i>Creontiades dilutus</i> Species of true bug

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Rhynocoris longifrons is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae. It is a predator of other insects and is found in Asia. Crops on which it is found feeding on pests include pigeon pea, cardamom and peanuts. The insects are potentially useful in biological control because they are more resistant to pesticides than are the pests they consume.

<i>Acanthaspis quinquespinosa</i> Species of assassin bug

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<i>Netelia producta</i> Species of wasp

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Lesser budworm". www.cesaraustralia.com. PestFacts. November 26, 2010. Retrieved 2018-06-09.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Cunningham, J.P.; Lange, C.L.; Walter, G.H.; Zalucki, M.P. (2011). "Host location behaviour in the desert caterpillar, Heliothis punctifera". Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 141: 1–7. doi:10.1111/j.1570-7458.2011.01163.x. S2CID   82577194.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Gregg, P.C.; del Socorro, A.P.; Rochester, W.A. (2001). "Field test of a model of migration of moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in inland Australia". Australian Journal of Entomology. 40 (3): 249–256. doi:10.1046/j.1440-6055.2001.00228.x.
  4. ↑ IFB Common (1953). "The Australian species of Heliothis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and their pest status". Australian Journal of Zoology. 1 (3) – via ResearchGate.
  5. 1 2 Cunningham, J.P.; Zalucki, M.P. (2014). "Understanding Heliothine (Lepidoptera: Heliothinae) Pests: What is a Host Plant?". Journal of Economic Entomology. 107 (3): 881–896. doi: 10.1603/EC14036 . PMID   25026644.
  6. 1 2 Herbison-Evans, D.; Crossley, S. (2013). "Heliothis punctifera". Coffs Harbour Butterfly House.
  7. ↑ Don Herbison-Evans & Stella Crossley (July 23, 2008). "Heliothis punctifera". uts.edu.au. Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-22.
  8. 1 2 3 "Lesser budworm and identification". cesaraustralia.com. PestFacts. September 21, 2007. Retrieved 2018-06-06.
  9. ↑ "Budworm trapping". pir.sa.gov.au. PestFacts. 2016. Retrieved 2018-06-10– via Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA.
  10. ↑ Zalucki, M.P.; Murray, D.A.H.; Gregg, P.C.; Fitt, G.P.; Twine, P.H.; Jones, C. (1994). "Ecology of Helicoverpa-Armigera (Hubner) and Heliothis-Punctigera (Wallengren) in the Inland of Australia - Larval Sampling and Host-Plant Relationships During Winter and Spring". Australian Journal of Zoology. 42 (3): 329–346. doi:10.1071/ZO9940329.
  11. 1 2 "Insects: Understanding Helicoverpa ecology and biology in southern Queensland: Know the enemy to manage it better" (PDF). Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Queensland Government. 2005. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  12. ↑ Miles, M.; McDonald, D. (2012). "Insect pests. In P.A. Salisbury, T.D. Potter, G. McDonald, & A.G. Green (Eds.), Canola in Australia: The first thirty years. Paper presented at the 10th International Rapeseed Congress, Canberra, Australia".
  13. ↑ Cullen, J.M.; Browning, T.O. (1978). "The influence of photoperiod and temperature on the induction of diapause in pupae of Heliothis punctigera". Journal of Insect Physiology. 24 (8–9): 595–601. doi:10.1016/0022-1910(78)90122-1.
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