Species Herpetogramma bipunctalis - Two-spotted Herpetogramma - Hodges#5272

5272

Southern Beet Webworm (larva)

Herpetogramma bipunctalis (Fabricius, 1794)

Phalaena bipunctalis Fabricius, 1794

Acharana subaenescens Warren, 1896

Botys detritalis Guenée, 1854

Botys lycialis Walker, 1859

Botys philealis Walker, 1859

Botys repetitalis Grote, 1882

Botys terricolalis Möschler, 1882

Pachyzancla honestalis Warren, 1896

bipunctalis is derived from Latin for Two Points, refering to the two dark spots on the dorsal abdominal of the adult.

Wingspan about 23 mm

Adult: forewing light yellowish-brown with two conspicuous black discal spots, the outer spot larger; AM line a shallow S-shaped curve; PM line irregular, with convex lobe near midpoint, and deep indentation near inner margin; ST line sharply-toothed but usually only visible as a dividing line between light median area and slightly darker shading in terminal area; hindwing similarly colored but with only one discal spot and irregular median line; adults rest with forewings spread, revealing much of hindwings.

New England to Florida, west to Texas, north to Illinois

also occurs south to Central America

larvae are aquatic; adults may be flushed from nearby vegetation during day but are nocturnal and attracted to light

adults fly from June to October in the north; possibly all year in the south

larvae are generalist feeders of several plant families including Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Hydrangeaceae, Leguminosae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae, and others (HOSTS database).

The larvae may have potential in the biological control of Alligatorweed, which chokes waterways in the south.

Herpetogramma fluctuosalis

H. phaeopteralis and aeglealis have darker brown forewings with indistinct discal spots; other species of Herpetogramma have white spots or patches in the forewing.

Fabricius, J. C. 1794: Entomologica systematica emendata et aucta. Secundum classes, ordines, genera, species adiectis synonymis, locis, observationibus, descriptionibus. – C. G. Proft et C. F. Mohr, Hafniae et Kiliae. 232.

Moth Photographers Group (MPG) (1)

The Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) (2)