Moth butterfly - description, types and harm to humans

The moth is a large family that includes more than 6 thousand species of insects. Among them there are also very small ones, but at the same time they turn out to be very serious pests of stocks, and real giants - butterflies with a wingspan of about 8.5 cm. Today we will get acquainted with representatives of the most common species. Some of them are quite curious, since, along with their harmfulness, they can bring significant benefits to humans.

Ways to fight

Chemical methods

Chemicals are the most effective and will help you completely get rid of the harmful insect.
But it is worth considering that such products are not safe for humans. They must be used strictly according to the instructions, while observing safety regulations and using protective equipment, including a protective mask and rubber gloves. Among the chemicals that will help fight fireworms, Decis Pro, Actellik and Enzhio are especially noteworthy. These are contact agents that must be combined with systemic agents. These include drugs such as Confidor Maxi and Aktara.

The above-mentioned remedies are especially effective against already formed butterflies. To combat caterpillars, drugs such as “Match” and “Lepidocid” are suitable.

Please note that processing alone will not work. These products are effective for about 2 weeks, maximum 20 days, and the insect development cycle lasts more than a month. Therefore, you will have to process it about 2-3 times.

When spraying with chemicals, it is necessary to thoroughly treat the entire surface of the foliage. You can also use watering the plant with a solution based on the drug "Aktara". For a visible effect, it is necessary to wet the soil by 30-40 centimeters. This treatment will be enough for the entire life cycle of the parasite.

Please note that when processing this type of product, it is necessary to take into account the temperature of the air masses, otherwise there is a risk of harm to your health

Folk recipes

To get rid of a harmful butterfly, it is not at all necessary to poison it. You can resort to folk solutions, which you can make yourself at home. They are unlikely to be able to exterminate parasites, but they can scare them away quite well.

So, you can use dry mustard for the solution. You will need 0.1 kilogram of this component and a bucket of water. All this must be mixed and left for 2 days to infuse at room temperature. Before use, the prepared solution should be filtered and diluted again with water in a ratio of 1 to 2.

To combat moth, pine needle extract will also be very effective. To do this you will need 0.2 kilograms of needles and 2 liters of heated water. All this needs to be mixed, covered and allowed to infuse for a week, stirring the mixture every day. The finished solution should be filtered and diluted with a ratio of 1 to 10. Next, you can begin spraying, which must be carried out at weekly intervals during the entire flowering phase.

Another component for the infusion is wood ash. You will need a kilogram of raw materials, which must be poured into a bucket of water and left for a week for tincture. After time, the mixture must be filtered and soap added, which is necessary for the mixture to adhere to the foliage. Treatment with such a solution should be carried out during the formation of ovaries.

Another component that will be effective in combating moth is tobacco. For the mixture you will need 0.4 kilograms of shag or tobacco dust. The main component must be poured into a container with 10 liters of water and allowed to tincture for 2 days. After this time, the solution must be diluted again with the same amount of water, after which you can begin to spray the plants at weekly intervals, starting from the flowering phase.

Sources

1. ↑
2. ↑
3. Stiling, P., "Natural History, 109(5), 40-43, 2000", March 5th
4. ↑ Annecke DP, Burger WA, Coetzee H. [“Pest status of Cactoblastis cactorum
   (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae) and
   Dactylopius opuntiae
   (Cockerell) (Coccoidea: Dactylopiidae) in spineless
   Opuntia
   plantations in South Africa.”], “Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa 1976", April 15th
5. Patterson, Ewen K. 1936. The World's First Insect Memorial. "The Review of the River Plate", December, pp.16-17
6. ↑ Stiling, P., “Natural History, 109(5), 40-43, 2000”, March 5th
7. Robyn, R., W., Shaharra U., ["Cactus Moth, Cactoblastis cactorum
   2011 Survey Plan for PPQ and State Cooperators"]

On the warpath with moth and larvae

When caterpillars appear inside and outside the hive, control methods will differ, since the presence of bees makes them difficult to exterminate. Exposure to chemicals is completely excluded, so only physical methods remain. But the extermination of larvae in the absence of bees is much easier - here the use of means is limited only by common sense, so that after treatment the family goes to such honeycombs.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to make cages for rabbits from mesh

Successful ways to combat wax moths in hives where there is a bee colony depend on the degree of damage. If worms dropped by bees are visible near the hive, this is a signal that the honey moth has taken a fancy to it, and our workers are forced to fight the scourge on their own. Such a hive needs control.

And when the family is rather weak, you won’t always find worms around the hive, and inside the honeycombs will be infested with moths. Honeycombs with beebread and brood are especially often affected. The pest nest is clearly visible on the bottom or walls.

The plan for how to get rid of wax moths where a bee colony lives consists of the following steps.

The infected hive is freed from the frames, where the presence of larvae and cobwebs is noticeable. Bees should be removed from infested frames. The frames themselves are cleaned of caterpillars and cobwebs, soaked in water under pressure for a day, and dried by hanging in the sun. Afterwards they need to be added to the hives to strong families.

If a wax moth nest is found in the hive, then the entire bee family will have to be moved to another home and to new honeycombs, adding food there.

After cleaning the bottom from cobwebs, caterpillars and other debris, the hive must be doused with fire. To do this, take a blowtorch or bundles of straw. It is important to flame the corners, cracks, bottom, and tray.

The honeycombs are dealt with according to how much the wax is eaten away. Heavily infected ones cannot be treated, and those that are partially affected are either heated to 50º for 2 hours or frozen so that every wax moth larva is sure to die.

If a colony is infected with a moth - the larvae of a large wax moth or a small moth, then the life of the bees slows down. Not only the honey harvest is in question, we are talking about the preservation of the bee family.

the bees are busy fighting moths and practically do not leave the hive; some insects have visible webs; a typical picture - the entrance is covered with bees, looking out, but not flying much; Caterpillars are visible on the bottom of the hive, and in case of severe damage - crumbs of eaten honeycombs, cobwebs and even an adult moth.

If you disassemble such a hive and find the pest’s nest, you can find moth cocoons covered in cobwebs. The foundation will be spoiled, dotted with passages and tunnels, entangled in cobwebs.

If the preventive measures taken to protect against wax moth activity do not have the desired effect, most likely they were applied incorrectly. Then it would be rational to take direct action to eliminate pests.

When carrying out this procedure, the honeycombs are placed in a space heated to fifty degrees Celsius for an hour. It is also possible to carry out processing at ten degrees. However, in this case, the processing time increases to three hours instead of one.

It is advisable to treat the hives themselves using a blowtorch.

It is important to understand that only those surfaces that are made of metal or wood can be treated in this way. Straw and paper elements of the hive will not withstand this procedure

This method of combating wax moths can be used before bees move into the hive and before wintering begins. Some beekeepers also use this remedy in the summer, but before using it, you need to make sure that the hive is empty of bees.

When we get rid of wax moths, we can resort to the help of chemical pest control agents. You can help eliminate the unpleasant neighbor of bees using formic or acetic acids. For this purpose, damaged areas of honeycombs are treated with the specified substances. Under no circumstances should this procedure be carried out in the hive itself; the honeycombs must be processed at a distance from the hive.

Another effective means of combating pests such as wax moths is sulfur dioxide. Treating wax eaten by caterpillars is not a safe way to control these pests, but its effectiveness has been clearly proven in eliminating moths.

Only scientific facts

Any natural enemy of bees will always have a higher survival rate than the bees themselves. This is especially true for brood.

Printed brood in combs

Bee brood can be overheated by raising the temperature to 38° C. But moth brood can only be destroyed by heating it to 46° C, and within one to two hours. The critical lower temperature will be -7° C, but the frames must be kept at this temperature for 4 hours.

Three more intervals are listed below:

1. When the temperature does not exceed +18°, and also exceeds +38°, the egg goes into a state of conservation;
2. Larvae will not hatch from eggs at T = +38° – +46° C;
3. At T = +38° the masonry almost stops.

It must be remembered that wax can melt at T = 62-63° C. However, the tendency to collapse is typical for the range of +55° and above. This means that moth larvae can be killed by heating for an hour to +49° – +54° C

But caution is needed...

Large wax moths often lay in slits made in frames from the inside. Moreover, we are talking only about the top crossbar. To counteract this, the slot is not made very large - up to 2 mm deep.

Slot in the top rail

But if the frame is large enough, the foundation will not hold well.

The infected hive is treated with a gas called phosphine. This gas is poisonous to both bees and people. After treatment, the hive is ventilated for 48 hours. And honey that was framed during processing will not be considered food grade. By the way, this applies to all bee products.

The biological enemy of wax moths is the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. It is harmless to bees and honey. The bacterium can destroy even young larvae. However, in practice the biological control method is not used. Natural moth killers also include wasps, but not all species. The desired species lives in Australia.

Small and large - all the differences

The small wax moth is almost harmless to the hive. This butterfly, despite the ability to develop in honeycombs, usually lays eggs in the cracks of the hive.

The hive is not sealed

Some beekeepers recommend sealing all walls of each hive. In fact, they do this only if there is an anthill nearby: the bees will not be able to protect themselves from the ants. And every spring, when the buds bloom on the trees, raw materials are collected for the production of propolis. The bees use it to seal the hive themselves, and they do it well.

Sometimes the larvae of the small moth are still found in the honeycombs. But basically this is typical only for the large bee moth. It is this enemy of bees that people strive to prevent from bee colonies in order to protect them from population decline. There is no need to talk about complete extinction, but we should not forget about a decrease in productivity.

It happens...

In the 19th century in the USA, wax moths were fought in the following way: they came up with various trap designs through which the moth could not get into the entrance.

Hive entrance

Even a hive with a conical bottom was patented: it was understood that all caterpillars sooner or later fall to the bottom, but they will no longer be able to return to the honeycomb. Among the simpler methods, trap placement is known:

1. At night, flat saucers filled with syrup and vinegar (5 to 1) are placed near the hives;
2. By morning, dozens of moths are found on the ground.

It is clear that you need neither apple nor grape vinegar.

From all that has been said, two conclusions follow:

1. The firefly enters the hive through the entrance;
2. Many substances cause intoxication in this butterfly. These include acetic acid, sulfur and table salt.

Frames with wax honeycombs are sprayed with a saturated saline solution. And in the spring, the bees are given salted water to drink. Concentration – 5-6 grams per liter.

Literature

• Joseph Mocha Butterflies. - Prague: Artia, 1979. - P. 124. - 191 p.
• Kurentsov A. I. Club-bearded Lepidoptera of the Far East of the USSR. (Determinant). - L.: Nauka, 1970. - P. 26. - 163 p.
• Lvovsky A. L. 23. Sem. Nymphalidae - Nymphalidae // Insects and mites - pests of agricultural crops. Volume III. Lepidoptera. Part 2 / Ed. Kuznetsova V.I.. - St. Petersburg: Nauka, 1999. - 216 p.
• Morgun D. V. Club-bearded lepidoptera of European Russia and neighboring countries. Determinant-directory. - M.: MGSYUN, 2002. - P. 118. - 208 p.
• Nekrutenko Yu. P. Club-bearded Lepidoptera of Crimea. Determinant. - Kyiv: Naukova Dumka, 1985. - P. 85-86. — 152 s.

Recommendations before taking wax moth extract

Before you start using the tincture, you should definitely check how the body reacts to it.

whether the drug will provoke an allergy. Among other things, you need to thoroughly study the bee moth treatment regimen.

It is best to discuss the optimal dosage and method of use with a specialist. Do not forget to perform a contact test as follows: one drop of this medicine should be diluted in a dessert spoon of water, then smear a little tincture on the inside of the lower lip. If after 1 hour there is no swelling, redness, rash, tingling at the site of application or itching, then the drug is not dangerous.

The first intake of moth extract should be started with caution. In general, in the first days it is advisable to use it only in the morning. If the drug does not cause any side effects, the dose can be increased

If the drug does not cause any side effects, the dose can be increased.

From larva to adult

The gooseberry moth overwinters as a pupa in the upper layers of the soil. As a rule, winter sleep does not affect the insect in any way, and with the arrival of spring, the pest awakens from sleep as if nothing had happened.

Butterflies emerge from pupae immediately after food appears on the berry fields. You can notice small gray moths as soon as currant bushes and gooseberries are covered with buds. During one spring-autumn season, fire butterflies produce only one generation. But even this can be quite enough to cause serious damage to dacha crops, reducing productivity and spoiling the plants.

The fire butterfly lays eggs twice per season:

1. the first clutch is made inside the bud of a garden crop, as a result of which the emerging caterpillars destroy the flowers;
2. the second clutch is made directly into the ovary, as a result of which the insect eats away the entire inside of the fruit, which is not destined to ripen.

Affected currant and gooseberry bushes can be easily recognized by the cobwebs that entwine them. Berries that fall within the range of action of the moth acquire the color of a mature fruit ahead of schedule. But almost instantly after painting they dry out and rot. As a result, they get stuck in the web and dangle, turning into a symbol of the insect’s outrages.

Around the middle of the first summer month, moth caterpillars descend “from heaven” to the ground. Pupation occurs directly in the open ground - in the upper layers of the soil. The caterpillars find a place right next to the trunk of the berry bush and wrap themselves in a gray cocoon.

Gooseberry varieties resistant to moth

Some gooseberry varieties are resistant to moth damage:

1. The universal variety Krasnoslavyansky bears fruit with slightly pubescent large red berries, which have a pronounced pleasant aroma and high taste.
2. Salute is one of the most productive varieties with dark red fruits, which, being quite ripe, remain on the branches for 2-3 weeks without falling off. The berries have an excellent taste, and there is practically no smell.
3. Malachite belongs to the technical varieties of medium ripening period. Its berries are bright green in color, with thin transparent skin and delicate pulp.
4. The high-yielding mid-early variety Cossack with spreading bushes and thorny branches produces medium-sized berries with a dark purple color and a dessert taste.
5. The mid-late winter-hardy Chernomor is distinguished by its high yield and versatility of use. Its fruits are almost black, thin-skinned, and sweet.

Why is it dangerous?

In addition to black and red currants, the moth attacks gooseberries and occasionally raspberries. If effective measures are not taken in time, the pest can eat almost all the fruits. Thus, during periods of population explosion, insects can destroy up to 90% of the crop, causing irreparable damage to farmers. According to experts, one caterpillar can easily eat 10 currants and 6 gooseberries, and a small family can completely gnaw off an entire bush.

The caterpillars very quickly attack the plantings and literally devour the berries from the inside, leaving the products of their vital activity in their cavity. Pests entangle currant leaves in a thick and sticky web, penetrate inside the fruit and eat away the pulp.

Life cycle of a pest

Gooseberry moth

Gooseberry moth pupae overwinter in the upper layers or in cracks of the soil at a depth of 5-7 cm under gooseberry or currant bushes in cocoons made of cobwebs. In the spring, during the period of bud formation on berry bushes and the beginning of flowering, a massive emergence of the gooseberry moth occurs, which lasts for a whole month. Females begin to lay tiny, oval-shaped, white eggs in flowers, buds and even on the ovary. The clutch of one adult individual reaches 200 pieces. Egg maturation lasts approximately one week. The hatched caterpillars, up to three millimeters long, are white-yellow in color. Only one individual remains in each ovary, the rest move to other flowers.

The voracious caterpillars of the gooseberry moth begin to destroy seeds and juicy berries, entangling them in a web. One pest can eat about fifteen currants or from five to seven gooseberries. Adult moth caterpillars are green in color and have a black head. Their length can vary from 8 to 14 mm, and there are round black spots on the sides. The gooseberry moth in the photos presented on the site will allow you to get acquainted with all stages of insect development.

During the season, only one generation undergoes complete development. The length of time the moth stays in the caterpillar stage before pupation depends largely on weather conditions and the type of food. On gooseberries, the individual develops more intensively. On black currants, this period can last a week and a half longer and is approximately a month. Before pupation, the gooseberry caterpillar descends to the ground on a cobweb and penetrates no more than five centimeters into it. This is where the change in her state occurs. Pupae are arranged in small groups of 5-7 pieces.

Gooseberry moth

Some types [ | ]

In forestry they are important: spruce cone moth - Dioryctrica abieteila WV (sylverstrella Rtz.), a butterfly up to 30 mm in span, gray, fore wings with dark and white transverse, jagged stripes and with a white spot near the middle; caterpillar up to 20 mm long, dirty-reddish, with a brown head and occipital shield and with dark oblong stripes on the back and sides. At the end of June and in July, the butterfly lays eggs on spruce cones; caterpillars feed on immature seeds and scales. By the end of summer, the cones in damaged areas turn brown, fall off in September, the caterpillars emerge from them and cocoon in the soil cover for the winter, pupating in the spring. Less common in pine cones; Finally, they also develop in galls produced by Chermes on spruce and in painful thickenings of the bark from the fungus Pieridermium pini corticola, on pine - in whorls. The latter are described as a special variety - sylvestrella Rtzb. , or splendidella Hr. Sch. ; they pupate in the bark. Stenoptycha terebrella Zck lives in fir cones. , occasionally the previous one comes across; More often, caterpillars similar to them Retinia (Redweed) settle here. Zinkiella (Euzophera) pinguis Hw. develops in the bark of young ash trees. ; The caterpillars feed on layers of oak and sapwood. Finally, the seeds of white acacia (Robiniapseudoacacia) are eaten by the caterpillar Etiella Zinkenella Tr. , widespread in almost all forest districts of southern Russia, in other years it destroys crops everywhere; also little studied

In beekeeping, bloodworms and moths attract attention - the caterpillars of Galleria melonella L. (cereana L

) and Achroe agrisella Fbr. (alvearia L.)

The most famous in households are: flour moth - Asopia farinalis L., with a spread of up to 27 mm, violet-brown, with an ocher-yellow head; the fore wings near the middle are ocher-yellow, with two transverse white lines, of which the back one is strongly sinuous; both continue onto the hind wings; The 4th and 5th veins begin with a common stalk; the fringe has all the wings white, with dark spots; the hind wings are gray, their 8th vein is free. The caterpillar is yellow, grayish at both ends, with a red-brown head and occipital and caudal scutes. Lives in reserves of mealy substances, produces two generations per year, pupates in May, flies in June and July; found not only in Europe and Asia, but in North America, Brazil, Africa and the Tahiti Islands. Another species, Asopia costalis Fbr, lives together with it. In reserves of fatty substances, such as lard and oil, Aglossa pinguinalis L. is usually found - the female is up to 4 cm in span, the male is up to 2 1/2; without a proboscis, the labial tentacles are prominent, their last segment is bare, the jaw tentacles are thread-like; shiny, brownish-gray color, the front wings with two black jagged stripes, yellowish on the outer sides and with a dark spot in the middle, the hind wings are light gray. Caterpillar up to 28 mm long, 16-legged, dirty-brown, head and occipital shield reddish-brown; On the sides of the body there is a deep fold of skin in which the breathing holes are hidden. They feed on fat, skin, pigeon droppings, and corpses; These same caterpillars were found in the vomit of people who apparently ingested them with food. Butterflies fly from late June to August. In seed warehouses, most often pine seeds, but also in dried fruits and hay dust, caterpillars of Ephestia elutella Hbn appear. ; butterfly up to 17 mm in span, on the front wings instead of the 7th, 8th and 9th veins there is only one, the 4th and 5th veins on all wings also merge, and the 7th and 8th on rear; the fore wings are brownish-gray, reddish at the inner edge, with two light gray, slightly sinuous transverse stripes and inconspicuous median points; the hind wings are light gray, almost white in males. Caterpillar up to 11 mm long, yellowish-white, with a yellow-brown head and occipital shield and with rows of the same warts along the back; the tail shield is darker. Flight of butterflies in July. Caterpillars are especially harmful in granaries, where they eat away seeds.

Great wax moth

,
bee moth
, wax moth, moth, moth, blackberry, “golden butterfly”), is one of the most dangerous pests of honeycombs.
Latin name Galleria melonella. She, like many gray moths, is nocturnal, but wax moth larvae
feed only on wax (the main product), and can also eat pollen, bee bread, honey in combs, royal jelly, and dead bee chitin.
Some authors write that the bee moth
can also consume propolis.
From our observations, the larva eats only wax in the propolis base, which accidentally gets there. The greater wax moth
belongs to the wax moth family and has large and small varieties.

Harm

The main damage to human economic activity is caused by the larvae of true moths. They negatively affect the following areas:

1. Silviculture – cone moth, acacia moth.
2. Household - dried fruit, flour moth.
3. Gardening - cabbage, acacia, rapeseed, carrot, pear moth.
4. Beekeeping - small and large wax moths.
5. Cereal crops - mill moth, grain moth and barn moth.

Cabbage and acacia moths have the most negative impact on the yield of garden plants, cereal crops and garden trees.

The acacia moth is a butterfly that poses a danger to white acacia and legumes. The larvae infect the plant in the fields, end up in storage along with the harvest, where they finally infect the raw material and complete the life cycle.

Distinctive features of the acacia moth:

• wingspan – up to 30 mm;
• the hind wings are light gray, the front wings are bluish-gray with white and orange patterns;
• larva length – up to 22 mm;
• The color of the larvae is brown, dirty green or pinkish.

The diet of the acacia moth larva includes more than 80 species of wild and cultivated plants: soybeans, peas, beans, lentils, white and yellow acacia, clover and lupine. The insect prefers large-fruited crops.

The bean moth larva negatively affects not only plant growth, but also damages the seed. The new crop has poor germination and unsatisfactory presentation.

Most garden owners are familiar with the cabbage moth. Insect larvae eat cabbage leaves in late spring and early summer. Larval development ends at the end of June. Pupation occurs in the soil. In August, butterflies appear and lay eggs on weeds and the underside of the leaf blade. By autumn, the second generation is formed, which waits out the winter in the soil.

Appearance of an adult and cabbage moth larva:

• wingspan – up to 26 mm;
• the color of the front wings is yellowish with brown stripes, the hind wings are light yellow;
• The caterpillar's body color has different shades of yellow, the head is light brown;
• the length of the larva at the last stage of development is 30 mm;
• A distinctive feature of the caterpillar is two light stripes on its back.

Larvae cause damage to cabbage. Newly emerged caterpillars eat the lower surface of the leaf blade without forming through holes. Adult larvae cause more significant damage by gnawing holes. The larvae's diet includes cabbage, horseradish and beets.

Mill fire

It arrived in Russia from India and spread everywhere. Mainly settles in mills, flour mills, bakeries and other places where grain is processed. Feeds:

• flour products,
• grain,
• cereal,
• pasta,
• dried fruits,
• mushrooms,
• nuts,
• confectionery products.

The mill moth reaches a size of 14 mm and has dark gray wings with dots and stripes. The moth lives 20 days, during which it is capable of laying 200 eggs. The butterfly can live in warm warehouses all year round. 7 generations of pests are hatched per year.

Adult millet moth

The moth not only destroys the grain, but also pollutes it with the products of its vital activity and the cobwebs it produces. We advise you to read the article about methods of combating chestnut leaf miner.

Southern barn moth

Just like the miller moth, it prefers to destroy grain, confectionery, nuts, and dried fruits. Most often found in the southern regions of the country.

The moth is small in size - 7-9 mm - and is distinguished by a dirty white-yellow color with a dark pattern on the wings. Butterflies live for two weeks.

Moths clog grains and produce with the web tubes they create. They pose a particular danger to granaries, where they destroy seed embryos. As a result, seed germination is lost.

The southern granary moth lives in granaries, mills, elevators, etc. (in the upper layers of the embankment at a depth of 15 cm)

The moth is afraid of low temperatures and dies already at a temperature of +14 degrees. Therefore, one of the ways to successfully combat it is to store food and grain at temperatures below 14 degrees.

Boxwood moth

The boxwood moth is a fairly large representative of the family. The span of the bluish-sandy wings of an adult butterfly reaches 4.5 cm. These pests settle on evergreen trees and systematically destroy their foliage. After the tree is left with practically bare branches, the colony moves to nearby trees or begins to eat the young bark. Gradually the boxwood dries and dies. These trees already grow slowly, and an invasion of butterflies can completely destroy an entire boxwood grove.

What kind of pest is the boxwood moth?

The harmful insect was brought into the country during preparations for the Olympic Games in Sochi, along with plants from Europe to create a green design in the Olympic village.

China, Japan, Korea are Asian countries that are considered the birthplace of this dangerous pest. Russian ecologists were the first to sound the alarm when they noticed that Italian seedlings brought to Sochi were affected by the boxwood moth.

Sick trees were treated a little (according to one version) and planted together with healthy ones. As a result, the buxus pest (the second name for boxwood) destroyed all the boxwood plantings in the Khostinskaya grove, beloved by tourists.

Fireweed is dangerous because voracious pests eat leaves at breakneck speed:

• one adult caterpillar can eat a medium-sized leaf in just 4 hours;
• 20 individuals manage a 3-liter jar tightly filled with buxus leaves in 2 hours.

Late control measures did not stop the confident advance of insatiable pests. The situation was complicated by the fact that the pest has no natural enemies.

Boxwood groves and forests that survived the ice age (the famous Colchis forests) are everywhere destroyed, in their place there are dried skeletons of trees - the result of the life activity of a dangerous moth.

Description of the buxus pest

The boxwood moth is from a family of herbaceous insects, numbering at least 10 thousand species.

• Pests and their larvae feed only on boxwood leaves and do not disdain the bark.
• An adult insect is a butterfly, quite large.
• The wings are pale blue with a brown edge and woolen fringe.
• The eyes are two black hemispheres that stand out sharply against the light background of the body and wings of the butterfly.
• Growing caterpillars are bright, green-yellow with a black head.
• The yellow-green larvae are large (at least 2 mm), with large black heads. In a month they grow up to 45 mm, darken, change color to dark green with stripes: wide black and narrow white. Then the caterpillars become pupae, from which, after 10 days, adult butterflies emerge, ready for procreation.
• Females mate with males, after which they lay eggs on the back of the buxus leaves.

In favorable climatic conditions, the pest manages to produce at least 3 generations in a year (sometimes 4).

The buxus pest overwinters in white dense cocoons made of cobwebs, hiding between boxwood leaves.

Preservation of boxwood forests or methods of combating the moth

The boxwood moth has become a national disaster, and some scientists are talking about an environmental disaster.

1. One of the options for combating the boxwood moth is to collect caterpillars with eggs by hand. It was this method that was used as the main one in Sochi. The collected insects were burned. This method will help if the boxwood planting areas are small.
2. Significant pruning of plants helps reduce the number of pests. It is necessary to inspect boxwood plantings as often as possible, collecting visible caterpillars and their egg clutches from the inside of the leaves.

Chemicals

To effectively control pests over large areas, you need to treat plants with poisons. Other drugs against boxwood moth are ineffective.

Effective means in the fight against the buxus pest:

• Fufanon;
• Aktellik;
• Bi-58.

The drugs are too poisonous; when working with them, you must be careful: wear protective equipment. After each treatment, it is advisable to take a shower.

It is required to combine holistic drugs (Aktara, Confidor Maxi) with contact drugs:

• Decis pro;
• Operacat;
• Angio.

They are effective for 2 weeks, and the life cycle of the moth is more than a month, which means it is necessary to repeat the treatment and alternate medications. For example, carefully water the plants with Aktara (10 g of the product is diluted in 10 liters of water), do not leave the root zone about 40 cm dry and do not leave it dry.

The following substances have a detrimental effect on young caterpillars: Brand and Match. They can be re-processed.

According to reviews from owners of boxwood plantations, 4 hours after treatment with these drugs, all visible caterpillars die from paralysis. After a week, the bushes remain free of pests.

Gardeners also consider products such as Fitoverm and Karbofos to be effective.

Biological drugs

Actofit is one of the effective remedies in this group (10 ml diluted in 1 liter of water). Positive reviews about the drug Guapsin.

In addition to these agents, microbiological agents containing parasitic bacteria are used. They disrupt the intestinal activity of caterpillars, which stop eating leaves.

It is easier for owners of boxwood plantings in their local areas to cope with the moth than for municipal authorities. The main thing is to follow the instructions for use indicated on the packaging of the product by the manufacturer.

Boxwood groves or forests are a protected area; the use of chemicals is prohibited there.

Biologists, together with ecologists, continue to work to create new remedies against the formidable pest - moth and to save boxwood forests in Adygea, the Caucasus and other regions.

Bee moth or wax moth

Galleria mellonella belongs to the moth butterflies of the family Pyralidae. Cosmopolitanly distributed in areas with developed beekeeping. Is a typical representative

pests of honey bees.

The eggs are white and up to 0.5 mm in size. After a week, a larva hatches, 1 mm long. Characteristic features are a yellow head and 8 legs. The length of an adult caterpillar reaches 1.8 cm, and the head changes color to brown. After a month, the caterpillars find crevices where they pupate. During development, the pupa changes color from yellow to brown.

Adult wax moths are heterosexual. The front wings of butterflies are brown-gray in color and have characteristic dark spots. A special feature is the presence of underdeveloped oral organs and digestive organs. This is why adults do not feed.

Initially, honey and beebread serve as food for the caterpillars, and in the final stages of development, wax honeycombs are affected.

In the process of life, the caterpillars destroy wax honeycombs, brood, honey, and bee bread. The frames and insulation of the hives are damaged. All this leads to the death of bee colonies.

The most radical method of exterminating the pest is the use of bacterial preparations Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Effective agents are the nematodes Heterorhabditidae, the hymenoptera egg-eaters Trichogramma, Braconidae and the flies Archytas marmoratus.

Wax moth treatment

In the 19th century I.I. Mechnikov studied the properties of the larvae and came to the conclusion that it was possible to make drugs from them to treat tuberculosis . The principle was that the Koch bacillus bacterium is protected by a waxy shell, which in turn can be destroyed by the enzyme of the larva feeding on the wax. Only young individuals are effective, since old larvae do not have this property. Mechnikov's discovery prompted scientists to further study the wax moth.

Why is wax moth useful?

Homeopathic cardiologist Mukhin showed interest in wax moths. Several people in his family died from tuberculosis, and the scientist himself was cured of it in childhood thanks to his knowledge of the beneficial properties of fireweed.

Mukhin discovered the positive effects of wax moth in diseases of the heart and blood vessels, namely, its properties are effective in cases of a heart attack, and also for improving general health in old age.

Another scientist, S.I. Metalnikov, noticed that the larvae are very resistant to the pathogens of diphtheria and plague .

The main properties of drugs based on larvae are as follows:

• Improving metabolism and blood circulation.
• Antiviral and antibacterial effect.
• Resorption of scars on the heart after a heart attack.
• Stimulating the immune system.
• Improving the functioning of the nervous system and improving sleep.
• Larvae extract is used to treat the prostate because it has a positive effect on the reproductive system.
• Promotes the release of testosterone in men with reduced libido.
• Larvae extract helps improve brain processes, thereby increasing mental activity.
• Helps muscle recovery after physical activity. In this case, the medicines will be useful for athletes and people engaged in physical labor.

Breeding wax moths at home

How to grow wax moth.

To grow moth larvae, it is necessary to create the necessary conditions. First of all, you need an empty hive; a wooden box with frames is also suitable, in which the beekeeper will maintain a temperature range of 25 to 35 degrees. The frames are selected with the presence of honey and beebread. The box should have a peephole for butterflies to enter.

A suitable place for wax moth larvae to breed may be the attic . To speed up the hatching process, you can use frames already infested with this insect. In addition, it is worth spraying the hive with water to maintain the necessary humidity. It would be useful to insulate it, since a decrease in temperature stops the growth of larvae. It should be mentioned that these insects are quite voracious, so the regularity of changing frames with honeycombs affects the growth rate of the moth.

A butterfly flies into a hive with honeycombs only during low bee activity, that is, at night. During one visit, a female wax moth lays up to 250 eggs. It takes about 7 days, sometimes less, before the larva hatches. The caterpillar cycle then begins, where the insect feeds heavily. After a month, the caterpillars look for accessible crevices, where they envelop themselves in webs and pupate. The whole procedure lasts a week, then a butterfly emerges from the pupa.

A full-fledged wax moth butterfly lives less than 30 days, moreover, it copulates and begins to reproduce at the age of two to three hours after becoming an adult. The moth butterfly is an underdeveloped insect , since it does not have digestive organs or an oral cavity.

A plate is suitable for collecting wax moth larvae. Hand movements when collecting larvae should not be sharp or strong, so as not to damage them. For selection, a honey strainer is used, which will allow small larvae to pass through, while large ones will remain.

Recipes from moth larvae

Extracts, tinctures and ointments from wax moth are popular and often used in folk and traditional medicine. They are widely used to treat various diseases.

Tincture

Tincture of wax moth larvae.

You can prepare a medicinal infusion yourself. To do this, you will need a liter of vodka for 250 grams of larvae. This mixture must be kept for 12 days, stirring regularly. After straining the tincture, you need to add 0.5 liters of water. It is recommended to use the tincture half a teaspoon half an hour before meals, twice a day at the initial stage, gradually increasing the dose of the infusion, consuming it before lunch. And then 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times a day.

The tincture is useful for general health maintenance and treatment of various diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Ointment

Wax moth ointment.

A 50-gram glass with larvae should be filled with vodka so that it covers only the insects. The mixture is infused for at least 5 days. Next, it is poured into a ceramic pot, where 200 g of calendula oil, 200 g of St. John's wort oil, 50 g of propolis and at least 30 g of beeswax are added.

The consistency of the mixture is creamy. The whole mass is sealed tightly with a lid and boiled in a water bath for about two hours. After which it is cooled, filtered and placed in sterilized jars.

An ointment based on moth larvae is used for rehabilitation in the postoperative period, treatment of suppuration, and inflammatory diseases.

Flour moth

It is distributed almost everywhere and affects granaries, warehouses, confectionery factories, shops, and flour mills.

Female flour moth

Like all the other types of moths listed above, it feeds on grain, cereals, seeds, and confectionery.

The size of the flour moth is quite large - the wings reach a size of 12-30 mm. The color of the wings is light brown with a dark pattern.

Dried fruit moth

This type of moth is synanthropic, that is, their life is closely connected with a person and his home. The dried fruit moth is widespread everywhere, with the only exception being the Arctic, and it always settles exclusively in heated rooms in which food supplies are stored.

Description

An adult is a butterfly, the wingspan of which can be from 1.5 to 2.2 cm. On the head there is a pair of black eyes with a bold sheen and dark gray or yellowish-gray antennae, which may have a faint golden sheen. The labial palps protrude forward; when viewed from above, they protrude in front of the forehead and form a cone. The head itself is painted dark gray, with light and brown inclusions visible on it. The front pair of wings are dark gray or gray-ochre, with grayish-white speckles.

Dried fruit moth butterfly

The larva of the dried fruit moth is a caterpillar with a cylindrical body, the length of which is 1.2-1.4 cm, the width is no more than 0.2 cm. In the northern regions, this type of moth gives 1-2 generations per year, in the southern regions in one a year can develop up to three generations.

Maliciousness

Living in storage facilities, dried fruit moth larvae can damage stocks:

• dried fruits;
• confectionery products;
• nuts;
• grains of some cereals;
• cotton seeds, etc.

On a note! In general, the dried fruit moth is able to successfully live and develop in many food supplies, and even “fragrant” garlic is no exception!

Cone moth

The cone borer is a pest of coniferous trees that damages their cones. The species is widely distributed throughout the Palearctic region. It is found everywhere on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Description

The wingspan of the cone moth butterfly is 2.5-3 cm. The front pair is decorated with light stripes in the form of zigzags, arranged transversely, along the edge there is a dark border, there are dark and light spots. The main color of the rear pair of wings is light gray; a dark border is also visible on them.

Pinecone moth butterfly

The larva of the cone moth is a caterpillar, the size of which can range from 2 to 2.7 cm. The integument is colored brownish-brown or yellowish-gray, there is a fuzzy pattern made up of dull gray stripes located longitudinally. The head is red-brown.

During one growing season, the cone moth produces one full generation and a second facultative one.

Maliciousness

Cone moth larvae damage cones:

• ate:
• pine trees;
• Siberian cedar;
• Siberian fir;
• Caucasian fir, etc.

If the year turns out to be a lean year, then the caterpillars change their diet somewhat, including the blossoming buds and young shoots of spruce and pine trees. When the pest eats the cones, it leaves reddish-brown excrement on them. Such cones turn brown.

Acacia moth

The acacia moth, or bean moth, is one of the most destructive insects to the legume crop. Infection occurs in the fields, from where the larvae, along with the affected raw materials, enter storage facilities, where they complete their development.

Description

The wingspan of the acacia moth is 2.2-3 cm. The front pair of wings has a bluish-gray color, there is a pattern made up of a costal white stripe and an inner orange band. The main color of the rear translucent pair of wings is light gray, with a dark stripe visible along the edge.

The larva of the acacia moth is a caterpillar measuring about 1.5-2.2 cm. The color of the integument is variable: from pinkish to dirty green and brown. The color of the head is dark brown.

Maliciousness

The acacia moth is capable of infecting:

• peas;
• soy;
• beans;
• astragalus;
• yellow acacia;
• white acacia;
• lentils;
• lupine;
• alfalfa;
• clover, etc.

In general, the diet of this parasite includes more than 80 species of wild and cultivated plants. Large-fruited varieties are the most preferred.

On a note! If the colony is large, the pest can destroy up to half the volume of the entire crop!

As a result of parasitism of the acacia moth, both the seed material suffers, which subsequently gives very poor germination, and commercial products.

Cabbage moth

Cabbage moth is familiar to many gardeners. The larvae of this type of insect appear around May and June and eat cabbage leaves. By the end of June, the development of this stage ends, the caterpillars go into the soil, where they pupate. The butterflies fly in August, they lay eggs on the lower surface of the leaves of the same cabbage and weeds, and in the fall the second generation emerges from them, which overwinters in the soil and pupates in the spring of next year. In this case, the ovipositor period can be greatly extended - up to a month, sometimes longer.

Description

The cabbage moth butterfly has a wingspan of about 2.5-2.6 cm. The front pair is painted dirty yellow, the pattern is composed of two brownish stripes, between which there is a spot. The hind pair of wings is light yellow.

Cabbage moth butterfly

The cabbage moth larva is a caterpillar whose color changes from light yellow to yellow-green as it develops. The body size of a young larva is approximately 2 cm, an adult – 3 cm. There are two light, clearly visible stripes on the back. The head is light brown.

Maliciousness

The damage is caused by the larvae, which, having hatched from the eggs, begin to “scrape” the lower surface of the leaf blades, but no through holes are formed. As the caterpillars grow, they cause more and more noticeable damage, and older individuals can already gnaw out holes. In addition to cabbage, the diet of cabbage moth larvae also includes beets and horseradish.

Cereal

The grain moth is a polyphagous pest of plant reserves. This species of butterfly is very similar to the representative described above; the only distinguishing feature is its smaller size.

Types of moth

leaf roller

Leafroller - this species includes a huge number of butterflies, the peculiarity of which is the ability to fold their wings on their back in a horizontal position. Particularly dangerous for trees are two-centimeter caterpillars that have different colors (from green-yellow to brown). Adults, unlike caterpillars, have long gray wings with a pattern and a white stripe in the central part.

Sunflower moth or broom

Homoeosoma nebulella belongs to the superfamily Pyraloidea and is a severe pest of sunflower. Distributed throughout Europe and the western half of Asia. The food source for the caterpillars is thistle, Jacobea, tansy and cornflower. Adults damage sunflowers, safflowers, and asters.

The female moth lays eggs in the anthers of flowers of plants belonging to the Asteraceae family. The hatched larvae use the generative parts of the flower for nutrition. The adult caterpillar has a yellow-brown body along which there are three dark stripes. The body length is 1.5 cm. Having completed the feeding process, the larvae descend to the upper layers of the soil, where pupation occurs. The wingspan is no more than 3 cm.

The caterpillar is painted gray and is distinguished by three stripes and black spiracles. The head is yellow. The maximum body length is 1.3 cm.

The caterpillar uses various parts of flowers, achenes, and leaves of the basket wrapper for nutrition. Sunflower inflorescences are entwined with mulberries and become contaminated with excrement.

Adults are heterosexual. The wingspan of these inconspicuous butterflies can reach 3 cm.

The most radical control measures are the cultivation of sunflower varieties that are resistant to moth and the use of effective chemicals.

Gooseberry

The gooseberry moth is a harmful and dangerous pest of gooseberries and currants. Insects spend the winter in the ground in the state of pupae. With the arrival of warm days, moth butterflies emerge from them and lay eggs in flower buds. The hatched moth caterpillars feed on the pulp and seeds of the resulting fruits. Having thus destroyed the first ovary, the caterpillars crawl through a hole gnawed on the side onto a nearby growing berry. After 5-6 days, using a similar method, the caterpillars move to the next berry, entangling the bunch with a thin web.

ⓘ White water fire

The white water moth is a species of butterfly from the grass moth family, the only representative of the genus Acentria. Caterpillars and the wingless form of females lead an underwater lifestyle.

Description

A small butterfly with a wingspan of 11 – 13 mm. The fore wings are pointed. The length of the fore wing is about 6 mm. The color is uniform gray-white or with a white spot in the center. The hind wings are white. Females come in two forms: the predominant part of them are ordinary, with developed wings, larger than males. The second form is wingless: they have only small rudiments of wings. This form of females lives under water and is found mainly in the north of the range. They have developed swimming setae on their legs.

The maxillary palps are well developed; covered with thick, long scales, the last segment triangular. The eyes are large and spherical, located on the sides of the head, and dark brown in color. The antennae of males have cilia, while those of females are thread-like. The proboscis is rudimentary. The labial palps are long, extended forward like a beak, and in females and males they are identical in length and shape.

Range and habitat

The species' range covers most of the Holarctic to the subtropics: including Northern and Central Europe, the European part of Russia, North America, Canada and the USA. Butterflies are found along the banks of various types of reservoirs: lakes, ponds and rivers overgrown with aquatic vegetation.

Biology

The flight time of butterflies is from June to August. Adult butterflies do not feed on aphagia and live off the nutrients accumulated during the caterpillar stage. Butterflies fly during the day and at dusk along the banks of reservoirs and mate. The wingless forms of the female mate by exposing her abdomen from the water. After mating, the winged forms of the female lay eggs on the leaves of aquatic plants, and the wingless forms lay eggs under water. The egg stage lasts about a week. At first they live openly on food plants; as they grow older, they make a small cover for themselves from a nibbled piece of food plant. Newborn caterpillars are colorless, almost transparent. After a few days, the caterpillar becomes green, and as it grows and develops, it acquires an olive green color with a light brown head. The caterpillar stage is from July to early June of the following year. The type of respiration of a caterpillar depends on the stage of its development. When they are young, they breathe oxygen dissolved in water. At these ages, their spiracles are greatly reduced, and the larvae themselves live in water. At these stages of development, the process of oxygen absorption occurs through the surface of the skin. Older caterpillars are able to breathe both oxygen dissolved in water, absorbing it over the entire surface of the body, and atmospheric air - with the help of tracheas, which develop in them in the later stages of development.

After molting several times, the caterpillar goes to winter at the bottom of the reservoir. The larva pupates in a special underwater cocoon, which is attached to the stems or lower surface of leaves of aquatic plants. The cocoon is filled with air, which penetrates into it from the stems of plants through a hole gnawed by the caterpillar. The pupa is light brown, up to 10 mm long, the abdomen ends in a wide rounded plate.

Forage plants include Elodea, pondweed Potamogeton, hornwort Ceratophyllum, green alga Chara Chara, chilim Trapa, arrowhead Sagittaria. The larvae gnaw and scrape off the soft tissues of leaves with their jaws and gnaw out the stems of food plants from the inside.

Field moth

This type of moth is found everywhere, but the most numerous and most harmful in woodlands and forest-steppe

It is a pest of fields. Prefers crops:

• radishes;
• cabbage;
• beets;
• horseradish;
• celery;
• spinach;
• rapeseed

This is a fairly large butterfly measuring 24 mm and yellow-brown in color. The main damage is caused by moth caterpillars that eat the leaves of cultivated plants. The main sign of damage to the field moth is holes in the leaves.

Plowing the soil before sowing and in the fall, destroying weeds and regularly loosening the soil helps protect crops from the field moth.

How do hawk moths reproduce?

The female's search for a partner occurs with the help of pheromones she secretes. The resulting pair mates. This process usually takes 30 minutes, and the individuals remain motionless throughout. After this, the butterfly lays eggs, from which caterpillars appear after 3 days. The activity of the larvae helps them prepare for the next stage. For this to happen, Nature gave the caterpillar a camouflage green color and the ability to scare away natural enemies with the help of an unpleasant odor and secreted poisons. The caterpillar takes the accumulated energy and strength with it into the soil, where it turns into a pupa. In this capacity, it lives for a little more than two weeks, after which it turns into a hawkmoth butterfly. The formed insect comes out of the cocoon and dries its wings for some time. As soon as an individual realizes that it can fly, it begins to search for a partner.

Signs that can be used to identify plant infestation with moths

To promptly identify the culprit of infection and directly detect it on gooseberry bushes, it is enough to simply take a good look at the bushes themselves.
The presence of holes in the berries, their entanglement in cobwebs, the violation of the integrity of the peel - all this directly indicates that the plant was directly attacked by gooseberry moths. Every day the number of whole berries will decrease. If you do not quickly take action to exterminate pests, they will soon eat the entire crop. The gooseberry moth is capable of covering untouched areas of the plant in a short period of time and creating cobwebby clumps. They usually contain up to five or six berries. Some berries may appear intact, while others may appear dried out and rotten. The moth does not eat the skin of the berries. It eats only the soft part, juice, seeds.

If you break the web and cut the berry, inside you can find an oblong caterpillar with a body up to 1 cm. After some time, the number of intact bushes will decrease, and the caterpillars themselves will descend into the soil along the web. This process can be seen with the naked eye.

Moth protection

The presence of wax moths in the hive when breeding your own apiary is one of the most unpleasant problems. This insect can not only ruin the life of your bees, but also cause damage to you as a beekeeper by eating the honeycombs in the hives.

In addition, wax moth secretions cause spoiled air. This in turn leads to disruption of bees' molting. Among other things, the presence of an insect can provoke the entire swarm, led by the queen bee, to leave the hive.

Since small moths do not have developed defense systems, bees can simply tear apart their bad neighbor. However, this development of events is not always observed. Firstly, the family must first develop to the required level, and secondly, not every swarm has the necessary potential for this.

What can be done to ensure that pest protection works for the benefit of bees and the beekeeper? First of all, you need to ensure that the hives always remain clean of debris. Usually the bees themselves are responsible for cleaning the hive, but it is better to be more careful and help the insects get rid of excess debris.

It is also important to monitor the condition of the frames used by the beekeeper. It is important that they are not kept wet or prone to mold development

Damaged cells must be collected. Even if the beekeeper does not have damaged combs, it is recommended to change a third of them once a year.

One of the most unpleasant problems when breeding your own apiary is the presence of wax moths in the hive. This pest greatly spoils the lives of not only the bees themselves, but also beekeepers by eating honeycombs in the larval state. In addition, special harm is caused by the secretions of these pests themselves, which, by damaging the air, lead to disruption of the molting process of bees.

And the most unpleasant consequence of the development of such a parasite is visible when the queen bee, along with the swarm, leaves the hive.

The most favorable conditions for the development of the pest are warm climates in regions well elevated above sea level. Developed, strong bee families are independently able to resist this annoying insect and get rid of it on their own. Since it has neither developed defense nor attack systems, workers in the hives simply tear them apart. However, the family must still develop to this state, and not all of them have such potential.

First of all, so that the hive does not have such an obnoxious neighbor, actively harming the honeycombs with its larvae, you should get rid of all the garbage in it

Usually the bees throw it away on their own, but precautions won’t hurt, and the condition of the frames is also important. They should not be damp, prone to mold

Those damaged beyond repair should be destroyed and not stored with the normal frames in the hive. In addition, the dwellings themselves should not have gaps. As for the honeycombs themselves, the damaged ones should be removed, but even if there are none, then once a year a third of them should still be replaced.

Large wax moth: photo and description. What does a bee moth look like?

The bee moth is a small night moth. Sexual differences between male and female individuals are in size and color, which in turn depend on the quality and color of the honeycombs where the insects grew in the larval stage. The female's body length is 13-35 mm, her wingspan is 18-32 mm. The length of the male is 9-13 mm, the wingspan is 17-23 mm.

The fore wings of the moth are narrow, 11-14 mm long. At the base they can be ash-, brown- or violet-gray, and at the back they are yellow-brown with dark spots. The color and pattern of the forewings is often very different among representatives of different sexes. The wings of females are violet-gray with brown spots, while those of males are yellowish with red-brown markings.

The hind wings are lighter, grayish, with dark lines located along the edge in the form of a border. They are triangular and have a sharp apex. At rest, the female’s wings look like a flat triangle or wrap around her body like a tube. The male's wings are not so collected, and his head is lowered down.

Female. Photo credit: Birgit E. Rhode, CC BY 4.0

Male. Photo credit: Birgit E. Rhode, CC BY 4.0

The head of the moth is brown or gray, elongated and narrowed in the female, rounded in the male. The eyes are large, faceted, and the antennae are thin, 6-segmented. The labial palps of males are short and sickle-shaped, while those of females are long and often pubescent.

The bee moth's proboscis is poorly developed. The mouthparts are generally underdeveloped, since insects do not feed at this stage.

Photo credit: Sharadpunita, CC BY-SA 3.0

The butterfly's body is cream-colored. The abdomen is 10-segmented, inside it the female has a long ovipositor, and the male has a copulatory organ. They can be seen when pressing on the body.

Males attract a female using ultrasonic signals and pheromones, which is why they emit a characteristic scent.

Photo credit: Simon Hinkley & Ken Walker, Museum Victoria, CC BY 3.0 au

Brief description of the pest

Before you begin to destroy an insect, you should make sure that it is the moth that is harming the currants, and not diseases or other insects: spider mites, aphids, moths. A description and photo will help you recognize the pest.

Appearance

From the numerous family of moths, currants are occupied by the gooseberry moth. In addition to red and black currant bushes, the insect is found on gooseberries, and occasionally in raspberries. Distributed in the middle and northern zone.

A white oval stripe on the front wings and brown blotches are a characteristic feature of the gooseberry moth butterfly

What does an adult butterfly look like:

• wingspan varies in the range of 2-3 cm;
• body length 15 mm;
• short thread-like antennae;
• the front wings are inconspicuous gray with a brown or dark tint;
• the hind wings are lighter in color and edged with dark fringe;
• a small head with a barely convex forehead is covered with scales that form a kind of cone.

The larvae are 16-legged caterpillars ranging from 8 to 14 mm in length. In newborn individuals, the color is pale yellow, green, which as they grow older acquires richness and gray shades. The head is black. Blurry ring-shaped spots can be seen on the sides.

The pupae are brown, 9 mm long, with 8 curved spines on the cremaster.

Developmental phases and reproduction

The fight against moth on currants will be much more effective if you know the nuances of insect development. Insects overwinter in the pupal stage in spider cocoons in the upper soil layers. The year of butterflies coincides with the beginning of budding of gooseberries and currants.

A week after emergence, adults begin mating. On currants, the moth lays eggs in flowers, occasionally under the lower part of young leaves. The female approaches the process with full responsibility and places the embryos one at a time. During its life, it is capable of giving birth to 200 individuals.

After 7-10 days, voracious caterpillars emerge from tiny white eggs, the size of which does not exceed 0.7 mm. They entwine young berries with a web, penetrate inside and eat away the pulp and seeds. The pestilence of the larvae lasts for almost a month. Having collected the required amount of nutrients, they go into the soil to pupate. One generation of offspring is possible per year.

Poisonous species

Caterpillars often serve as food for other animals. To avoid becoming someone's food, they have many adaptations. Some species use protective or deterrent coloration, while others secrete a secretion with an unpleasant odor. Some of them used poison.

Scales, hairs and needles hidden under the skin of some caterpillars can cause lepidopterism or caterpillar dermatitis. It is manifested by inflammation, swelling, itching and redness of the contact points and can have serious consequences. The larvae of the oak, gypsy and marching silkworms, megalopygis operaculus, hickory dipper, Saturnia io, spiderwort, etc. are poisonous.

The lonomia caterpillar is considered one of the most dangerous. It is found only in South America. Poisoning with its secretion even has its own name - lonomyasis. Contact with lonomia obliqua and lonomia achelous species can result in severe internal bleeding and death. The caterpillars live on fruit trees, and their “victims” are often plantation workers.

Damage caused

The southern granary moth is a serious pest of grain stocks of wheat, corn, rye, rice, millet and their processed products, confectionery products, especially chocolates, spices, as well as hulled sunflower seeds, almond kernels and nuts, dried vegetables and fruits, yeast, roots chicory, cinnamon, acorns, soybean seeds, oatmeal, cocoa, medicinal raw materials, and sometimes damages herbariums and insect collections, old honeycombs and bee bread, etc. Particularly great damage is caused to seed material, wheat and corn, since Due to the caterpillars eating the embryos, it turns out to be completely unsuitable for sowing, and the flour from such grain is poor in vitamins B and provitamin A. Products infected by caterpillars are heavily contaminated with excrement and cobwebs. When massively infested, the caterpillars weave a web around the top layer of the grain mound, 10 cm thick or more. With such severe contamination, the grain cannot be cleaned of excrement and cobwebs, so it is unsuitable for food or feed purposes.

Destruction

To destroy moths, spraying with insecticides, irradiation with insecticidal lamps and fumigation are used.

In small farms, spraying with solutions of tobacco and wormwood is used.

If the moth gets into the house and settles in the products in the kitchen, destroying them, then you can use Raptor traps, insecticidal plants - laurel, lavender, geranium, citrus peel, wormwood. All cabinets should be washed with a solution of vinegar and wormwood and lavender should be placed in them. This will scare away the moth.

The fire damages both large farms and small kitchens, destroying food supplies and turning them into dust. Therefore, it is necessary to fight it regularly, leaving the butterflies no chance of survival.

Folk recipes

Initially, it is advisable to combat this pest using gentle folk remedies, since it is not recommended to use chemicals during flowering or fruiting.

• Pharmaceutical chamomile - On the sixth day after all the buds have bloomed, they are thoroughly sprayed with tincture of pharmaceutical chamomile. To do this, stir 100 grams of dried chamomile flowers in a ten-liter bucket of hot water and leave for three hours until the tincture has cooled. After which they must filter.
• Pyrethrum powder - This antiparasitic powder, safe for humans and animals, is simply sprayed onto the buds and leaves of the bush every week.
• Wood ash is the most universal remedy against diseases and pests. It is convenient in that it can be used in both liquid and dry form. Ash treatment is carried out during fruiting. To do this, pour a glass of ash into a bucket of water, leave it in a dry place for about three days, and then water the entire bush. Then they scatter the ash around the trunk in a small layer and water the soil.
• Mustard powder - Many types of insect pests are afraid of it. Therefore, with its help you can successfully get rid of the moth. To do this, the powder is scattered throughout the bush. But you can also dissolve 100 grams of powder in a bucket of boiling water. Then let it sit for about two days and water the currants during fruiting.
• Tobacco - To repel moths, stir 400 grams of tobacco dust in a bucket of water and leave for two days. Then add a little grated laundry soap, filter and spray all the currants, trying not to miss a single section. If you use tar soap, it will protect the plant from fungal diseases and aphid invasion. Instead of tobacco, you can use wormwood tincture. The proportions for dilution are the same as for tobacco.
• Coniferous solution - With its help you can protect the bush from the invasion of caterpillars; for this, in early spring, everything is sprayed with pine concentrate, well diluted with water in the proportions of two tablespoons per bucket of water. This product can be purchased at any pharmacy. But if the caterpillars have already attacked the currants, then the amount of powder is doubled.
• Traps - To collect all the butterflies in one place, use a special trap that you can make yourself. To do this, take bright yellow cardboard, apply glue that does not dry out for a long time, and lay it out under the bushes. Soon many adults will stick to this cardboard.
• Elderberry - Branches with elderberry buds are hung throughout the bush; its aroma will repel both adults and their larvae. But you can also make a solution for spraying. To do this, 100 grams of dried elderberry flowers are infused in a bucket of water for two days. Then filter and spray.

All processing is carried out only in the evening, since the moth is active only at this time of day. And the weather should be dry and windless.

A set of agrotechnical measures to combat gooseberry moth

In order to expel the parasite from your site, the following measures must be taken:

• in the fall, after harvesting, clear the garden of plant debris and dig up the substrate - this will destroy the pupae that have settled there for the winter;
• shortly before the first frost, the gooseberry bushes are hilled to a height of about 10 cm - this way, in the spring, butterflies simply will not be able to fly out of the pupae remaining in the ground;
• the soil under berry crops is mulched; for this you can use peat or regular compost;
• All wilted and darkened ovaries are collected by hand, cocoons entwined with cobwebs are also removed and everything outside the site is destroyed.

Prevention

In order not to carry out expensive treatments of Viksne, Jonker van Tets and other varieties of currants with biological or contact insecticides, it is enough to constantly carry out the full cycle of agrotechnical measures. Let's just add:

• planting moths between the rows of natural enemies, the smell of which repels insects;
• covering the soil with dense material that prevents butterflies from flying out in early spring;
• By hanging feeders in the garden and feeding tits and other birds during the hungry winter season, you can protect the garden from hordes of caterpillars. Birds that make nests near a site can destroy up to 60-70% of insects.

Butterfly breeding

The shape and color of the wings are of great importance when breeding butterflies. Some species are sexually dimorphic: males and females differ in appearance, which makes it easier for lepidopterans to find a partner. Other species use pheromones to attract mates. Depending on the species, either males or females can attract a partner in this way. The mating dance is also characteristic of butterflies.

Mating occurs on plant leaves or the ground. It can last from 20 minutes to several hours. By fertilizing a female, the male not only transfers his seed, but also components that are useful during pregnancy. Some species have an interesting feature: after fertilization, a chitinous appendage appears on the female’s abdomen, which eliminates the possibility of repeated mating.

The mating process of the heliconid charitonia is interesting. The female begins to emit pheromones several hours before emerging from the pupa. Males flock to her and begin to fight with each other. The winning male fertilizes the pouch as it emerges from the pupa.

After fertilization, the female lays eggs. This is how butterflies are born. In the tropics, some species can produce up to three generations in one year.

Types of hawk moths

At the moment, about 1224 representatives of hawk moths have been discovered. Main varieties:

Hawkmoth oleander

This nocturnal representative inhabited the territory of Africa and Asia, and is less common in European countries. The insect is distinguished by its incredible emerald body color with pinkish patterns. Caterpillars of this species feed mainly on oleander leaves, periwinkle, grapes and mock orange.

Hawk Moth Death's Head

Distributed throughout Western and Northern Africa. An adult is capable of a wingspan of up to 13 centimeters. The upper part of the wings is brown with a fuzzy orange pattern, and the lower part is bright yellow, with black lines visible on it. The color of the back is dark with a yellow pattern, the outlines of which resemble a skull. It feeds on the nectar of tobacco, jasmine, fuchsia and orchids. It is notable for its loud squeak, which scares away predatory animals.

Brazhnik wine medium

It is located in Siberia, the Caucasus, Iran, the Far East and certain regions of Europe. Adult representatives have a wingspan of about 6 centimeters. The color of the upper wings is green with a pinkish stripe on the outer edges. The body itself is olive in color, and in the back area there are pink longitudinal lines. It feeds on honeysuckle. Nocturnal lifestyle.

Tobacco hawk moth

Distributed throughout the tropical latitudes of America. In particular, it can be found in Massachusetts, Jamaica and the Galapagos Islands. The adult has a 10 cm wingspan. Endowed with very long antennae. The abdomen has yellow and red spots in the shape of a square.

Hawk hawk

This butterfly has settled in many regions of Asia, Europe and Africa. Becomes active with the onset of darkness. This species is endowed with a 7 cm wingspan. On the lower wings there is a pattern resembling an eye. It serves to scare away and protect from danger. The upper wings themselves are gray with a reddish edging and beautiful wavy patterns.

poplar hawkmoth

Lives in Asia and Western Europe. The adult has a wingspan of up to 10 centimeters. Activity comes at dusk. The color of the upper wings is gray or light brown with a slight reddish tint. On the wings you can see the dark sinuous and straight stripes characteristic of this species. There are small notches on the edges of the lower wings.

Linden hawk moth

Populated Asia Minor, Transcaucasia and Europe. Also found in Kazakhstan and Iran. The wingspan is 7.5 centimeters. The color of the wings is red with a yellow-green edging. There are linden hawkmoths with brown-pink wings.