| Beet Webworm Moth (Loxostege sticticalis (Linnaeus, 1761)) |
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Scientific name: Loxostege sticticalis (Linnaeus, 1761) Common name: Beet Webworm Moth Other names: Other scientific name: Pyrausta sticticalis. French name: Botys de l'Armoise Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Crambidae Subfamily: Pyraustinae Wingspan: Males: 18 to 20 mm; Females: 20 to 26 mm. Biotope: Various habitats. This is also a migratory moth. Geographic area: Palaearctic and et Nearctic regions. Flight time: May to September. Number of generations : 1 to 4 generations per year depending on the region. Caterpillar: Greenish grey with a black head showing paler patterns. There is a dark dorsal line and two dark lateral lines. Host plant: Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) and Field Wormwood (Artemisia campestris). |
The Beet Webworm Moth has greyish brown fore wings with yellowish or cream markings. There is usually a longitudinal pale streak in the basal area, a well-marked creamy discal spot and a dark grey finely toothed post median line. The fore wings are bordered by a cream sub terminal band, crossed by the dark veins. This band reaches its maximum width at 1/3 of the distance to the apex and it is abruptly tapered next to the apex. The fringe is a very dark grey colour. The hind wings are greyish brown with a yellowish post median line and a yellowish sub terminal line. The caterpillar over winters under the soil inside a silk cocoon. |
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I have photographed this moth among the vegetation bordering the beach on the Mediterranean coast. This picture was forgotten under a pile of other pictures. I have told this species apart four years after, as I have improved my naturalist skills. I just need now to make progress in photography too, so that I can replace this picture with one of better quality. |
André Bon November 2011