Lepidoptera (weed bioagents)

insects • weed bioagents • Beneficials/natural enemies

Tyria jacobaeae (click on image to enlarge it)
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Lepidoptera (weed bioagents)

The Lepidoptera are a large insect order with many species feeding on plants during the larval (caterpillar) stage. A number of moths are considered to feed specifically on certain weed species and have been deliberately introduced into countries to help suppress invasive plants.

Note:
This group refers to weed bioagents only, for other groups of Lepidoptera see:

• Lepidoptera (plant pests)
• predatory Lepidoptera
• Lepidoptera (hygenic/medical pests)

The following Lepidoptera families containing weed bioagents have been entered into the system:

• Erebidae (3 species)
• Crambidae (2 species)
• Gracillariidae (2 species)
• Momphidae (1 species)

• Nymphalidae (2 species)
• Pyralidae (2 species)
• Tortricidae (3 species)