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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sunflower and Plant Biology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #201695
Title: Banded Sunflower Moth

Author
item MUNDAL, KIRK - NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item BREWER, GARY - NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item Charlet, Laurence
item KNODEL, JANET - NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV

Submitted to: North Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Bulletin
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2006
Publication Date: 11/1/2006
Citation: Mundal, K.D., Brewer, G.J., Charlet, L.D., Knodel, J.J. 2006. Banded Sunflower Moth. North Dakota State University Extension Service Bulletin E-823. p. 1-7. Available: http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/pests/e823.pdf

Interpretive Summary: The banded sunflower moth is an important insect pest of cultivated sunflower. Eggs are deposited on the bracts of the sunflower heads. Larvae feed and develop within the heads from mid-July to mid-September feeding initially on the bracts, pollen and the disk flowers and finally the immature and mature seeds. After feeding to maturity, larvae drop to the ground and spin cocoons in the soil where they pass the winter. There is one generation per year in the central and northern Plains. The paper describes the banded sunflower moth’s life stages, life history, damage, distribution, economic injury levels, monitoring procedures, timing of control applications, and other management practices. Detailed sampling procedures using diagrams and pictures are presented based on both adult and egg sampling. Charts also are provided for determining the economic injury levels for different moth and egg densities based on treatment costs, plant population, and sunflower market price.

Technical Abstract: The banded sunflower moth is an important insect pest of cultivated sunflower. Eggs are deposited on the bracts of the sunflower heads. Larvae feed and develop within the heads from mid-July to mid-September feeding initially on the bracts, pollen and the disk flowers and finally the immature and mature seeds. After feeding to maturity, larvae drop to the ground and spin cocoons in the soil where they pass the winter. There is one generation per year in the central and northern Plains. The paper describes the banded sunflower moth’s life stages, life history, damage, distribution, economic injury levels, monitoring procedures, timing of control applications, and other management practices. Detailed sampling procedures using diagrams and pictures are presented based on both adult and egg sampling. Charts also are provided for determining the economic injury levels for different moth and egg densities based on treatment costs, plant population, and sunflower market price.