Moths (Heterocera)

1. Noctuidae

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

2. Pyralidae

• Borers, Pyralid moths. Palpi projected towards the 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 the crotches of cherry, peach, plum, and other trees like apple.

5. Bombycidae: Silk moth, Bombyx mori