Author
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Pogue, Michael |
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Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/2011 Publication Date: 11/30/2011 Citation: Pogue, M.G. 2011. Larval description of Copitarsia incommoda (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 104(6):1292-1296. Interpretive Summary: The family commonly called owlet moths, represents the largest family of moths and contains more agriculturally important species than any other family of moths. Many owlet moths, such as armyworms, cutworms, corn earworms, and budworms, do billions of dollars damage to crops worldwide. This report describes the larva of a pest species of owlet moth from Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina that feeds on quinoa. In this paper I describe and illustrate the larva to help distinguish it from other closely related species. This information will be useful to all entomological researchers, APHIS scientists and identifiers, forest service scientists, and other agricultural specialists from North America and the Neotropical region. Technical Abstract: The last-instar larva of Copitarsia incommoda (Walker) is described for the first time. Specimens in this study were reared from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd., Chenopodiaceae), Bolivia, La Paz, 4 km S Viacha, Quipaquipani, 3880 m. The larva of Copitarsia incommoda is compared with larvae of Copitarsia decolora (Guenée) and Copitarsia corruda Pogue and Simmons. |
