ARS | Publication request: THE NOCTUINAE (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) OF GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: March 17, 2006
Publication Date: May 26, 2006
Citation: Pogue, M.G. 2006. The Noctuinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Zootaxa. 1215:1-95.

Interpretive Summary: Cutworm moths are major agricultural pests causing billions of dollars of damage annually. These moths are pests of numerous crops such as cabbage, corn, alfalfa, lettuce, cotton, and many other vegetable and agricultural crops. This paper documents the species of cutworm moths for Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). New records and distributional data for GSMNP are presented. The species are illustrated in color. This information will be useful for the biological inventory being conducted in GSMNP, educational programs within GSMNP, and for land management decisions within the park. This work will also be useful for identification of cutworm moths from the southeastern United States.

Technical Abstract: Currently the tribe Agrotini has 17 species and the tribe Noctuini has 30 species that occur in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These species are documented with adult images, description/diagnosis, flight period, collected localities, abundance, elevational range, general distribution, and larval hosts. The most diverse area for the Noctuinae was the four localities along Big Cove Road, Swain Co., North Carolina with 29 species.