Moths (Heterocera)

1. Noctuidae

• Example: Noctuid moths. Largest family, about 4000 spp., dull colored, front margin or wings ar quite straight, forewing is somewhat narrower as compared to hind wings, and few species are crop pests.
• Eg. Spodoptera litura (Tobacco Caterpillar), Spodoptera exigua; Helicoverpa armigera (Gram pod borer), Agrotis ipsilon (Cutworm).
• These insects feed on several types of crop plants. Cutworm cut the succulent stem of plants fro the ground level.
• The plants affected by this worm are cruciferous vegetables, solanaceous crop and others.

2. Pyralidae

• Borers, Pyralid moths. Palpi projected towards foreside forming a beak like structure
• Examples: Maize stem borer: Chilo partellus.
• Rice Caseworm: Numphula dipunctalis; Rice stem borer: Scirpophaga incertulus. Rice leaf roller: Cnaphalocrosis medinalis.

3. Plutellidae: Example: Diamond back-moth.

Eg: Plutella Xylostell, Xylostella maculipenis.

• Larvae damage the plants.
• Serious pest on Crucifers

4. Lasiocampidae

Example: Tent caterpillars and Lappet moths.

• Tent caterpillar builds silken nests in th crotches of cherry, peach, plum and othe trees like apple.

5. Bombycidae: Silk moth, Bombyx mori