Page 611 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Noctuidae
DISTRIBUTION Southern Europe (from Spain to the Balkans), north to United
Kingdom and Denmark, east to the Caspian Sea, the Middle East,
Macaronesia, Africa, and Madagascar
HABITAT Farmlands, gardens, and other open places with herbaceous plants
HOST PLANTS Cruciferous vegetables (Brassica spp.) and other Fabaceae,
Common Nettle (Urtica dioica), bean (Phaseolus spp.),
pelargonium (Pelargonium spp.), Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum),
and chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.)
NOTE Widespread, semi-looper caterpillar that is a tropical crop pest
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but common or abundant throughout most of
the range

ADULT WINGSPAN
1¼–1¾ in (32–44 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
1 ⁄ –1½ in (34–38 mm)
CHRYSODEIXIS CHALCITES
GOLDEN TWIN-SPOT 609

(ESPER, 1789 )

The Golden Twin-spot caterpillar hatches from a greenish-
white, domed egg laid singly on a leaf. When very small, the
larva is green with scattered black spots, each with a short,

dark hair. At rst, it grazes the underside of the leaf, creating
translucent windows, and if disturbed drops down on a silk
thread. When larger, the caterpillar eats all or most of the leaf
and excavates fruit and unripe seedpods, but without burrowing
inside. It forms a black-and-green pupa in a white cocoon, often
spun under a leaf. The species can breed continuously with up
to nine generations annually.

Like other members of its subfamily Plusiinae, the Golden
Twin-spot caterpillar walks rather like an inchworm or looper
caterpillar (family Geometridae). The body shape, tapering
from back to front, is also a characteristic of the group. The
caterpillar is a major crop pest in Africa, the Middle East, and
southern Europe. Adults migrate farther north, sometimes
imported with produce, and occur as pests in glasshouses.

Actual size

The Golden Twin-spot caterpillar is green or
yellowish green with six irregular, whitish stripes
along the back and a broader white stripe and
small, black spots along each side. There are
three pairs of prolegs, and the body tapers
toward the head.