- Heliothis virescens
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Heliothis virescens 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Noctuidae Genus: Heliothis Species: H. virescens Binomial name Heliothis virescens
Fabricius, 1777Synonyms - Noctua virescens Fabricius, 1777
- Phalaena rhexiae Smith, 1797
- Xanthia viridescens Walker, 1857
- Xanthia prasina Walker, 1857
- Heliothis spectanda Strecker, 1876
- Aspila rhexiae
- Chloridea rhexiae
The Tobacco Budworm (Heliothis virescens) is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found in Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Brazil and the Antilles. [1]
Mounted specimen
The wingspan is 28-35 mm.
The larvae feed on various crops, most notably Nicotiana species. The tobacco budworm is one of the most destructive pests of the tobacco. Eggs are laid on the tobacco leaves. The emerging larvae are light to dark green and have several longitudinal pale stripes. They may chew small holes in the leaves before they reach the buds. Larvae then damage the bud or growing tip of the plant. The leaves that expand from the buds are often ragged and distorted.
Caterpillars
Tobacco Budworm damage to Nicotiana tabacumOther recorded foodplants include Penstemon laevigatus, Desmodium species, Lespedeza bicolour, Medicago lupulina, Geranium dissectum, Rhexia species, Rumex species, Physalis species, Lonicera japonica, Lupinus species, Ipomoea species, Jacquemontia tamnifolia, Passiflora species, Sida spinosa, Helianthus species, Linaria canadensis and Abutilon theophrasti.
The braconid wasp Microplitis croceipes, which deposits its eggs inside a living caterpillar, is an important parasitoid of both H. virescens and the related species Helicoverpa zea.[2]
References
- ^ Markku Savela (November 6, 2008). "Heliothis genus". funet.fi. http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/noctuoidea/noctuidae/heliothinae/heliothis/index.html. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
- ^ Tomberlin, Jeffery K; Moukaram Tertuliano, Glen Rains, W. Joe Lewis (September 2005). "Conditioned Microplitis croceipes Cresson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Detect and Respond to 2,4-DNT: Development of a Biological Sensor" (pdf). J. Forensic Sci. 50 (5). doi:10.1520/JFS2005014. http://forensicentomology.tamu.edu/pdf/JFS05014.pdf. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
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