|
PASTURE WEBWORM FACTS |
Identification
Hednota relatalis is a brown and white moth from the Crambidae family. The forewings are have stripes of white and brown running along their length with a fringe of scales at the far edge. The hindwings are pale brown, with a pale fringe of scales. The moth has relatively large eyes and long antennae. The brownish caterpillar is known as Pasture Webworm and grows to about 15 mm long. It is a minor pest of pastures and a couple of species of Hednota can be a pest of cereal crops especially when they are planted after land has been in pasture.
Size
length about 1cm, with wingspan about 2cm
Habitat
grassland, pasture
Food
Pasture webworm caterpillars feed on various species of grass plants including pasture grasses
Breeding
The small white eggs are laid in grass and hatch into caterpillars which feed on the grass plants. The pupae are about 12 mm long and are pale yellow to start with before turning brown.
Range
Hednota pleniferellus is found in southern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
Classification
| Class: | Insecta | | Order: | Lepidoptera | | Family: | Crambidae | | Genus: | Hednota | | Species: | relatalis | | Common Name: | Pasture Webworm |
Relatives in same Genus
Webworm (H. bivittella)
Pasture Webworm (H. longipalpella)
Webworm (H. pleniferellus)
|
|
