Difference between revisions of "Helicoverpa armigera"

Revision as of 19:33, 17 March 2014

Helicoverpa armigera (on the hind wing, the pale spot inside the dark border is typical of H. armigera (in contrast to related species like H. punctigera)
Author: Donald Hobern
Source:Wikimedia Commons

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner, 1808) (old world cotton bollworm)
is widespread in southern Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia/Pacific, where it is a serious, highly polyphagous pest of cotton, maize, tomatoes and many other crops. It is also found in central and even northern Europe during the summer. The larvae prefer the buds, flowers and fruits, but may also damage the leaves. The species is considered economically to be one of the most important insect pests world-wide. There is considerable variation in colour both on the adults and the caterpillars, the latter reach a length of about 4 cm. It its most closely related to Helicoverpa zea of the New World and both species interbreed in the laboratory. It is frequently intercepted by quarantine in the Americas and recent reports suggest that it may already have established in South America.

Synonyms:
Heliothis armigera
Heliothis obsoleta

For more details see the respective page in Wikipedia.

• Other images of Helicoverpa armigera (Wikimedia Commons, IPM Images and PaDIL - click to enlarge)
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  mounted adult

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  pupa

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  caterpillar in tomato fruit

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  head

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