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Title: DESCRIPTION OF THE IMMATURE STAGES OF PYRODERCES BADIA HODGES (LEPIDOPTERA: COSMOPTERIGIDAE, WITH A NEW HOST RECORD FROM LOUISIANA

Author
item Adamski, David
item Brown, John
item White, William

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2005
Publication Date: 3/28/2006
Citation: Adamski, D., Brown, J.W., White, W.H. 2006. Description of the immature stages of Pyroderces badia Hodges (Lepidoptera: Cosmopterigidae) with a new host record from Louisiana. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 108:341-346.

Interpretive Summary: Caterpillars of small moths feed on a variety of plant parts including leaves, fruit, flowers, stems, and roots, and many are pests that cause millions of dollars in losses to U.S. agriculture annually. This paper addresses a species that is considered to be a scavenger but was found attacking the seed heads of living sorghum in Louisiana. It belongs to a group of small moths that is intercepted frequently at U.S. ports-of-entry with pineapple, and less frequently with corn, bananas, and guavas. This information will be of interest to sorghum growers and to APHIS-PPQ identifiers.

Technical Abstract: The last instar and pupa of Pyroderces badia (Hodges) are described and illustrated based on specimens collected from seed heads of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) (Poaceae) in southern Louisiana. The species is a well-known scavenger on a wide array of plant material.