Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
and blackish; hindwings yellow with blackish-
brown veins and cross-bands. Larva up to
130 mm long; body usually yellowish-green,
marked with purplish-black and with seven ob-
lique, purple to purplish-brown stripes along
each side; posterior horn yellow and S-shaped;
head yellow with two broad black stripes.
Smerinthus ocellata (L.)
Eyed hawk moth
This species is occasionally a minor problem on
young apple trees. The larvae defoliate the
shoots and can have a marked adverse effect on
the growth of young trees. Attacks on older trees
are of little or no importance.
Fig. 312 Larva of winter moth, Operophtera brumata
(x3): (a) lateral view of an abdominal segment
(further enlarged).
BIOLOGY
Moths occur from May to July. Eggs are laid
singly or in small groups on the leaves of host
plants, and they hatch 2-3 weeks later. The lar-
vae feed on the leaves from June to September
and then enter the soil to pupate. Under favour-
able conditions a partial second generation of
adults emerges in the late summer but most do
not appear until the following year.
Family SPHINGIDAE (hawk moths)
Acherontia atropos (L.)
Death's head hawk moth
This African species is a regular migrant to more
northerly areas but is usually uncommon in the
British Isles and other parts of northern Europe.
The larvae are minor pests of potato; they feed
on the leaves but damage caused is usually of
little or no importance.
DESCRIPTION
Adult 75-85 mm wingspan; forewings greyish-
brown to chocolate-brown, with pinkish-grey
markings; hindwings brown to reddish, with a
large blue, grey and black, eye-like mark.
Larva up to 70 mm long green; body speckled
with white, seven oblique whitish or yellowish
stripes along each side; spiracles white, with red
rims; posterior horn bluish.
BIOLOGY
Adults occur from May onwards but are usually
most numerous in August and September. Eggs
are then laid singly on the leaves of potato and
on other Solanaceae. Larvae feed voraciously
and, in the British Isles are most often found in
September and October. Pupation takes place in
the soil in fragile silken cocoons formed a few
centimetres below the surface. This species is
usually unable to survive the winter in northern
Europe.
Family NOTODONTIDAE
Phalera bucephala (L.)
Buff-tip moth
Minor infestations of this common, polyphagous
species sometimes occur on fruit trees. The gre-
garious larvae cause considerable defoliation but
are of greater significance on forestry and orna-
mental trees and shrubs.
DESCRIPTION
Adult 100-130 mm wingspan, with an ochreous-
yellow skull-like mark on the thorax; forewings
blackish-brown, variably marked with whitish
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