Species Achyra rantalis - Garden Webworm Moth - Hodges#4975

4975

Garden Webworm (larva)

Achyra rantalis (Guenée, 1854)

Nymphula rantalis Guenée, 1854

Loxostege rantalis

Pyrausta caffreii Flint & Malloch, 1920

One of 3 species in the genus in North America north of Mexico.

Larva to 24 mm (Capps, 1967).

Forewing length 9-10 mm (Powell & Opler, 2009).(1)

Wingspan 17-23 mm (Capps, 1967).

Adult: forewing orange, brown, or grayish-brown in varying shades; AM and PM lines diffuse, slightly darker than ground color of wing; PM line jagged and edged with color; orbicular and reniform spots usually present. Hindwing similar to forewing but lighter; median line present in costal half; at rest, holds wings together close to body (adapted from description by Charles Covell).(2)

Larva: head yellowish-brown; body yellowish, pale green, or dark greenish with light stripe down back; three dark spots form a triangle on side of each abdominal segment.

Northeast and southern Canada, south to Florida and California (Powell & Opler, 2009).(1)

Fields, gardens; adults may be attracted to light.

Adults fly from April to November in the south; reduced season in the north.

Larvae feed on leaves of alfalfa, beans, clover, corn, cotton, peas, strawberries, and many other low plants (Covell, 1984).(2)

Two to four or more generations per year in the south; fewer in the north.

Mated pair

Larvae may be a pest of vegetable gardens and commercial crops; they are active at night, skeletonizing leaves by feeding mostly on the underside; severely damaged plants are covered with silken webbing.

Achyra occidentallis. In California A. rantalis and A. occidentallis are both present but A. occidentallis is much more prevelant.(1)

Boisduval, J. A & A. Guenée 1854. Histoire naturelle des insectes, spécies général des lépidoptères 8: 405

Capps, H. W. 1967. Review of some species of Loxostege Hübner and descriptions of new species (Lepidoptera, Pyraustidae, Pyrausinae). Proc. USNM 120(3561): 47 (3)

Covell Jr., C. V. 1984. A field guide to the moths of eastern North America. p.398, pl.56(23) (2)

Munroe, E. 1976. Moths of America North of Mexico. Fascicle 13.2a, p.47, pl.3.20-25 (4)

Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America. University of California Press. p.174, pl.22.36 (1)

Moth Photographers Group(5)

BOLD: The Barcode of Life Data Systems(6)