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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #355118
Research Project: Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a Focus on Invasive Species

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Identity and first report of the four-spotted moth, Palpita quadristigmalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), as a pest of Japanese privet, Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. (Oleaceae) in Mexico

Author
item VILLEGAS-LUJAN, RENATO - Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro
item FELIPE-VICTORIANO, MOISES - Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro
item KEEGAN, KEVIN - University Of Connecticut
item Solis, M Alma
item SANCHEZ-PENA, SERGIO - Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/19/2018
Publication Date: 4/30/2019
Citation: Villegas-Lujan, R., Felipe-Victoriano, M., Keegan, K., Solis, M.A., Sanchez-Pena, S.R. 2019. Identity and first report of the four-spotted moth, Palpita quadristigmalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), as a pest of Japanese privet, Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. (Oleaceae) in Mexico. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 121(2):290-298.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.121.2.290

Interpretive Summary: Many species of snout moths in the family Crambidae are pests of crops and ornamentals. One species, the four spotted moth, feeds on privets and olive trees and is reported for the first time causing economic damage on Japanese privet in Mexico. The species was identified using morphology and molecular data and images of adults, larvae, and damage are provided for their identification. This information will be used by horticulturalists, biological control workers, and quarantine personnel.

Technical Abstract: Japanese privet is widely planted as an ornamental and shade tree in Mexico. In 2017, we discovered lepidopterous larvae causing severe defoliation on ornamental privet in Saltillo, Mexico. It was preliminarily identified as Palpita sp. using external morphology. Larvae were reared to obtain adults, and then identified as P. quadristigmalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) using morphology and COI sequences. Larvae of the four-spotted moth, P. quadristigmalis, are defoliators and leaf-folders of trees and shrubs, and among their main hosts are olives and privets (Oleaceae). This is the first confirmed report of P. quadristigmalis causing economic damage in Mexico.