Spodoptera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spodoptera
Spodoptera mauritia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Noctuidae
Tribe:	Caradrinini
Genus:	Spodoptera Guenée, 1852
Synonyms
Calogramma Guenée, 1852 Douzdrina de Laever, 1985 Laphygma Guenée, 1852 Prodenia Guenée, 1852 Rusidrina Staudinger, 1892

Spodoptera is a group of moths. They belong to a family called Noctuidae. A scientist named Achille Guenée first described them in 1852. Many of these moths are known as pests. This means they can cause problems for crops and plants. Their young, which are larvae, are often called armyworms. There are about 30 different kinds of Spodoptera moths. You can find them all over the world, on six different continents!

What Do Spodoptera Moths Look Like?

Spodoptera moths have special features. They do not have big tufts of hair right behind their head. Instead, they have small tufts on their middle body section. Their scales are very smooth.

The tufts of hair on their belly are small. However, the tufts on their front legs are very noticeable. The tiny hairs on the edge of their wings, called cilia, are slightly wavy. Their antennae, which help them feel and smell, are mostly simple in shape.

Different Kinds of Spodoptera Moths

There are many different types of Spodoptera moths. Each one has its own scientific name. Some of these moths are known by common names too. These common names often tell us what plants their larvae like to eat.

For example, the Spodoptera frugiperda is known as the fall armyworm. The Spodoptera exigua is called the beet armyworm. These names help us understand where these moths might be found and what they might affect.

See also

In Spanish: Spodoptera para niños