Numbers
one of 5 species in this genus in North America listed at
All-LepsIdentification
Adult: forewing brownish-yellow or grayish-yellow with wavy white AM, median, and PM lines; reniform spot smoothly-rounded, oval or kidney-shaped; subterminal line composed of several equally-spaced black dots some distance from outer margin; hindwing light gray or grayish-yellow with dark terminal line and pale fringe
Larva: early instars yellowish-gray with wide dark head; later instars have five dark reddish or purplish longitudinal stripes; body covered with sparse yellow or light brown hairs; head black with V-shaped mark
Range
southern United States (Florida to California), north in the east to Maryland, New York, and Ontario
Habitat
gardens, commercial crop fields; the moths make short erratic flights when flushed from plants during the day; adults are nocturnal and attracted to light
Season
adults fly from late March to October in the south; June to October in the north (often migrates north late in season)
Food
larvae feed on crucifers (or mustards, family Brassicaceae) and related weeds, including cabbage, turnip, beet, collard, cauliflower, kale, rutabaga, radish, kohlrabi, mustard, rape, horseradish, shepherd's purse, and purslane
Life Cycle
grayish-white eggs are laid singly or in small masses near buds of young hostplants; as plants mature, more eggs are laid on underside of leaves along leaf stems; larvae feed on leaf buds and young leaves beneath a protective web made from silk-like threads; mature (fifth instar) larvae form webbed cocoons on hostplant or in soil, pupate, and emerge as adults within a week; multiple generations per year in the south; probably overwinters in soil as a pupa or larva in silk-lined cell
See Also
Cabbage Budworm Moth (
Hellula phidilealis) forewing reniform spot an irregular-shaped blackish patch; terminal line consists of three main black dots - one at the apex, and two closer to anal angle, with both areas surrounded by small white patch; subterminal line lacking (unlike
H. rogatalis which has a subterminal line composed of several equally-spaced black dots);
H. phidilealis doesn't occur in
California
H. aqualis is larger, has a white median area, indistinct basal and AM lines, indistinct reniform spot, and the black dots in the terminal line are not surrounded by white patches
(
compare images of all 3 species by Jim Vargo at MPG)
Internet References
live adult image (Steve Walter, New York)
pinned adult image by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)
pinned adult image by John Glaser, plus dates and locations (Larry Line, Maryland)
pinned adult image (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)
biology and overview (Phillip Roberts and Paul Guillebeau, U. of Georgia)
biology and habits (Clemson U., Alabama)
live larva image and overview (David Riley and Alton Sparks, U. of Georgia)
live larva images (zipcodezoo.com)
presence in California list of 19 specimens with locations and dates (U. of California at Berkeley)
presence in Florida; list (John Heppner, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)
presence in Ontario; list (NHIC; Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources)
Contributed by
Robin McLeod on 4 February, 2007 - 5:15pm
Last updated 4 February, 2007 - 6:19pm
