Bordered straw moth

Heliothis peltigera

1. Identification

• Common name: Bordered straw moth
• Scientific name: Heliothis peltigera Denis & Schiffermüller
• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Noctuidae

2. Pest description

• Caterpillars of variable colour (green, brown or greyish), with light and dark longitudinal bands, reaching 35–40 mm.
• Adults with brown forewings, displaying a characteristic light, bordered pattern; wingspan of 30–40 mm.
• Migratory species, with high mobility and the ability to rapidly colonise new areas.
• Polyphagous, attacking leaves, flowers and fruits of various crops.

3. Main hosts

• Tomato plant.
• Pepper, eggplant and other solanaceous plants.
• Industrial crops such as cotton and tobacco.
• Various vegetable crops and wild plants.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Irregular perforations in the leaves and destruction of young tissues.
• Direct damage to fruits, especially in tomato, due to internal feeding.
• Damaged flowers, reducing fruit set.
• Significant losses in horticultural crops during population peaks.

5. Biological cycle

• Eggs deposited singly on the underside of the leaves.
• Caterpillars develop over 3–4 weeks, passing through several instars.
• Pupation in the soil, in shallow chambers.
• Adults active in spring and summer; several annual generations may occur, depending on climatic conditions and migration.

6. Monitoring

• Direct observation of caterpillars and damage on leaves, flowers and fruits.
• Pheromone traps for detecting adults and tracking population dynamics.
• Frequent inspection of horticultural crops, especially during higher-risk periods.
• Assessment of the presence of pupae in the soil in areas with a history of the pest.

7. Management measures

• Cultural: crop rotation, removal of plant debris and surface tillage of the soil to expose pupae.
• Preventive: regular monitoring and elimination of wild host plants.
• Biological: application of Bacillus thuringiensis during the early caterpillar stages; promotion of natural enemies.
• Integrated protection: defining intervention thresholds, judicious use of authorised insecticides and integration with monitoring data.

Bibliographic references

• CABI – Invasive Species Compendium – Heliothis peltigera.
• EPPO Global Database – Heliothis peltigera.
• Carter, D. J. (1984). Pest Lepidoptera of Europe. Dr W. Junk Publishers.
• Alford, D. V. (2007). Pest and Disease Management Handbook. Blackwell Publishing.
• Fitt, G. P. et al. (1989). Ecology and behaviour of Heliothis species. Annual Review of Entomology, 34, 17–52.