Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

Beet webworm (345)

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Photo 1. Larva of beet webworm, Spolodea recurvalis.

Photo 2. Adult beet webworm, Spolodea recurvalis, showing white bands on wings and abdomen.

Photo 3. As in Photo 2, adult beet webworm, Spolodea recurvalis, showing white bands on wings and abdomen

Summary

  • Worldwide. Defoliation by caterpillars important on beet, amaranth, and legumes - if attack coincides with pod-filling.
  • Larvae feed from underside of leaves, making 'windows'; later, feed from within rolled leaves. Up to 25 mm, greyish-green (reddish-pink at maturity), with dark line along back. Adult with white bands on wings.
  • Spreads on the wing: famous for long-distance migrations; spread in plant trade.
  • Natural enemies: larval parasitoids.
  • Cultural control: weed; plant far from infested crops; in small plots, remove leaves with caterpillars, or squash by hand; collect debris and destroy after harvest.
  • Chemical control: PDPs (neem, derris, pyrethrum, or chilli, with soap to get them into rolled leaves); use spinosad or Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). Avoid, synthetic pyrethroids: they will kill natural enemies.

Common Name

Beet webworm, Hawaiian beet webworm

Scientific Name

 Spoladea recurvalis; previously known as Hymenia recurvalis. It is a member of Crambidae.

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
1Information from Swaine G (1971) Agricultural Zoology in Fiji. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. London; and CABI (2017) Spoladea recurvalis (Hawaiian beet webworm) Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/28245); and Beet webworm - Spoladea recurvalis. (https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_pyralidmoths/BeetWebworm.htm); and from McCaffrey S, Harding C (2009) (Spoladea recurvalis): PaDIL - (http://www.padil.gov.au). Photo 1 Alton N. Sparks, Jr., University of Georgia, Bugwood.org. Photo 2 Mark Dreiling, Bugwood.org. Photo 3 McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at: (http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org). 

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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