Thysanoplusia orichalcea

Thysanoplusia orichalcea
Adult feeding on Salvia nectar
Mounted adult
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Noctuidae
Tribe: Argyrogrammatini
Genus: Thysanoplusia
Species: T. orichalcea
Binomial name
Thysanoplusia orichalcea
(Fabricius, 1775)
Synonyms
  • Noctua orichalcea Fabricius, 1775
  • Trichoplusia orichalcea
  • Thysanoplusia chrysitina Martyn, 1797
  • Thysanoplusia aurifera Hübner, [1813]

Thysanoplusia orichalcea, known as the slender burnished brass[1] is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a polyphagous pest of vegetable crops that originated in Indonesia, from where it spread to Europe, South Asia, India, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.[2] In northern Europe it is a migrant species.

Description

See glossary for terms used

The wingspan is 36–44 mm. The fore wings are extensively covered with a metallic golden shimmering surface. Only the costal field and hem are brown in colour. The reniform and orbicular tain are small and white bordered. The unpatterned hindwings are grey-brown, somewhat darker at the margin. The thorax is furry and with some hair tufts, the proboscis is well developed.

The moth flies from August to October, depending on the location.

The larvae feed on various herbaceous plants, including crops such as sunflower, potato and soybean.[3] In managing their population, phenylacetaldehyde, a volatile floral compound attractive to many Lepidoptera and present in Canada thistle, was found to be effective in trapping especially the females of the species.[2]

Gallery

Strong golden wing iridescence as revealed in favourable illumination
Illuminated from a different angle

References

  1. ↑
  2. 1 2 Stringer, L.D.; et al. (Dec 2008). "Floral attractants for the female soybean looper, Thysanoplusia orichalcea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)". Pest Manag Sci. 64 (12): 1218–21. doi:10.1002/ps.1621. PMID 18615789.
  3. ↑ "Robinson, G. S., P. R. Ackery, I. J. Kitching, G. W. Beccaloni & L. M. Hernández, 2010. HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London.".
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