Native budworm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Native budworm |
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Helicoverpa
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H. punctigera
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| Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren, 1860)
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Helicoverpa punctigera, the native budworm or Australian bollworm, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. This species is native to Australia. H. punctigera are capable of long distance migration from their inland Australian habitat towards coastal regions and are an occasional migrant to New Zealand.
The wingspan is ca. 40 millimetres (1.6 in). Adult lifespan (in the laboratory) was measured as ranging from 11 to 18 days.
This species is a generalist, with larvae observed feeding on at least 100 plant species, and are considered a pest for tobacco, flax, peas, sunflower, cotton, maize, tomatoes and other crops. Outside of agricultural settings, primary host plants include some Australian native daisies, in particular flat billy buttons Leiocarpa brevicompta, annual yellow tops Senecio gregorii, and also the native legume Cullen cinereum.
Description
Eggs: H. punctigera egg are spherical in shape while its colours vary based on the stage of Larvae development. While originally white, the eggs will change to brown and finally black just before producing a hatchling.
Larvae: Commonly observed to have a brown or black head with a yellowish – white body with dark spots. H. punctigera larvae can grow up to 29 to 30 mm in length during the sixth (6th) instar.
See also
In Spanish: Helicoverpa punctigera para niños
