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Native Budworm
Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.
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INSECT FACTS |
Identification
The adult Native Budworm moth has brown forewings with fine darker markings. The hind wings are buff with a dark border. The underside has dark bands near ends of each wing and two black spots under the forewings. The caterpillar is pale green initially with black dots and thin dark lines along the body. As it develops, the dark lines become less conspicuous, and the black spots develop red areas around them.
Other Names
Australian bollworm
Size
wingspan 4 cm, caterpillar length 4cm
Food
Heliothis punctigera is an agricultural pest of tobacco, flax, peas, lucerne, sunflower, cotton, maize, tomatoes and other crops.
Breeding
it pupates in a cocoon under the soil emerging as an adult after about three weeks.
Notes
Siimilar species is Helicoverpa armigera in the same genus.
Classification
| Class: | Insecta | | Order: | Lepidoptera | | Family: | Noctuidae | | Genus: | Helicoverpa | | Species: | punctigera | | Common Name: | Native Budworm, Heliothis punctigera |
Relatives in same Genus
Cotton Bollworm (H. armigera)
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