Hellula phidilealis
Encyclopedia
The Cabbage Budworm Moth (Hellula phidilealis) is a moth
of the Crambidae
family. It is found in tropical and subtropical America. From the southern United States (Florida
to Arizona
), north in the east to North Carolina
, south through south-western Mexico
to northern South America
, including several islands in the Caribbean
.
The wingspan
is about 15 mm. The forewing is brownish-yellow mottled with white patches, especially in the basal half and a crescent-shaped grayish-brown spot near distal end of cell. The hindwing is light gray.
The larva are a pest on cabbages. Young larvae bore into buds, stems, and stalks of crucifers and related weeds, including cabbage, turnip, beet, collard, cauliflower, kale, rutabaga, radish, kohlrabi, mustard, rape, horseradish, shepherds purse and purslane. Older larvae spin silken webs on leaves and feed on outer leaves during the day within these webs.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Crambidae
Crambidae
The Crambidae are the grass moth family of Lepidoptera . They are quite variable in appearance, the nominal subfamily Crambinae taking up closely folded postures on grass-stems where they are inconspicuous, while other subfamilies include brightly coloured and patterned insects which rest in...
family. It is found in tropical and subtropical America. From the southern United States (Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
), north in the east to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, south through south-western Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to northern South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, including several islands in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 15 mm. The forewing is brownish-yellow mottled with white patches, especially in the basal half and a crescent-shaped grayish-brown spot near distal end of cell. The hindwing is light gray.
The larva are a pest on cabbages. Young larvae bore into buds, stems, and stalks of crucifers and related weeds, including cabbage, turnip, beet, collard, cauliflower, kale, rutabaga, radish, kohlrabi, mustard, rape, horseradish, shepherds purse and purslane. Older larvae spin silken webs on leaves and feed on outer leaves during the day within these webs.