Papaipema sulphurata
Encyclopedia
The Water-willow Stem Borer (Papaipema cataphracta) is a moth
of the Noctuidae
family. Its larvae tunnel into the stems of the water-willow plant (Decodon verticillatus
) and it is found in the parts of the eastern United States where this plant grows.
areas of the eastern United States where the water-willow (Decodon verticillatus) grows. This can be found in swampland, ditches and in shallow water at the edges of ponds, lakes and streams. It often forms tangled clumps and occurs from Maine to Florida and west to Minnesota, Tennessee and Louisiana.
e tunnel into the stem. Here they grow, moulting several times, feeding on the vascular tissue of the plant and creating galleries. They pupa
te in August, undergo metamorphosis
and emerge as adults a month later.
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 Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
family. Its larvae tunnel into the stems of the water-willow plant (Decodon verticillatus
Decodon verticillatus
Decodon verticillatus, the sole species in the genus Decodon, is a flowering plant in the Lythraceae family. It is commonly known as waterwillow or swamp loosestrife. It is endemic to wetlands in the eastern half of the United States.-Description:Waterwillow is a clump-forming shrubby perennial...
) and it is found in the parts of the eastern United States where this plant grows.
Description
The Water-willow Stem Borer is a robustly-built moth with a greyish hairy body. It has a wingspan varying from 32 to 38 millimetres. The forewings are buff or straw-coloured, darker at the base and in the peripheral region which is separated by a narrow dark band. There are a number of roughly circular spots which are a pale ochre colour, outlined in brown. The hind wings are a pinkish-tan colour. The adults can be seen flying in September and October.Habitat
This moth is found in wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
areas of the eastern United States where the water-willow (Decodon verticillatus) grows. This can be found in swampland, ditches and in shallow water at the edges of ponds, lakes and streams. It often forms tangled clumps and occurs from Maine to Florida and west to Minnesota, Tennessee and Louisiana.
Life history
The adult female lays eggs on the stems of water-willow in September and October. These hatch in the spring and the larvaLarva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e tunnel into the stem. Here they grow, moulting several times, feeding on the vascular tissue of the plant and creating galleries. They pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
te in August, undergo metamorphosis
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation...
and emerge as adults a month later.