Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
893
894
893
Cabbage moth (
Mamestra brassicae
).
894
Larva of cabbage moth (
Mamestra brassicae
).
895
Mamestra brassicae
(Linnaeus) (
893-895
)
syn.
Barathra brassicae
(Linnaeus)
Cabbage moth
A generally common and often important pest of
herbaceous ornamentals; infestations frequently occur
in greenhouses on
Alstroemeria
,
Chrysanthemum
,
Dianthus
and various other plants. Young trees and
shrubs, including birch (
Betula
), flowering cherry
(
Prunus
), hawthorn (
Crataegus
), larch (
Larix
), oak
(
Quercus
) and pussy willow (
Salix caprea
) are also
attacked. Eurasiatic. Widely distributed in Europe.
DESCRIPTION
Adult:
38-45 mm wingspan; fore wings greyish brown
to blackish brown, with pale, often black-edged
markings; hind wings brownish grey.
Egg:
0.8 mm
across; hemispherical and distinctly ribbed; whitish, with
a dark central spot and girdle.
Larva:
up to 45 mm long;
green, greenish brown, brownish green or blackish
brown; dorsal line black, the subdorsal lines comprising
segmentally arranged blackish bars, the pair on the eighth
abdominal segment meeting to form a saddle-like mark;
spiracular line pale; spiracles white with black rims; a
slight hump on the eighth abdominal segment; head light
brown; young larva light green, with whitish longitudinal
lines, and often marked with yellow intersegmentally.
Pupa:
17-22 mm long; reddish brown and finely
punctured; cremaster with two, often pale, hooked spines.
895
Young larva of cabbage moth (
Mamestra brassicae
).
pupate in flimsy subterranean cocoons. This species is
basically single brooded but, mainly under glass,
breeding may be sufficiently rapid for the completion of
two generations annually.
DAMAGE
Infestations on greenhouse ornamentals are most
important, and damage caused to buds, leaves and open
blooms renders plants unmarketable.
Melanchra persicariae
(Linnaeus) (
896-897
)
syn.
Mamestra persicariae
(Linnaeus)
Dot moth
Generally common in gardens and nurseries on
ornamentals such as
Anemone
,
Dahlia
and lupin
(
Lupinus
); minor infestations also occur on trees and
shrubs, including alder (
Alnus
), birch (
Betula
), crab-
apple (
Malus
), larch (
Larix
) and pussy willow (
Salix
caprea
). Holarctic. Widely distributed in Europe.
LIFE HISTORY
Although the moths occur at any time of year, they are
most frequent in June and July, and from the end of
August to late September. Eggs are deposited in large
batches on the leaves of various plants, and hatch in
8-15 days. Larvae then feed from late June or July
onwards. The young larvae browse on the surface of
leaves; older individuals feed more extensively, and
also often damage buds and flowers. Fully fed larvae
DESCRIPTION
Adult:
38-48 mm wingspan; fore wings bluish black,
each with a prominent, white, kidney-shaped stigma;
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