Pyrausta panopealis Walker
- Family: Crambidae
- Subfamily: Pyraustinae
- Tribe: Pyraustini
- Genus: Pyrausta
- Distribution: Central America, USA, Africa (W, NE, S), Madagascar, India (South Hindustan, Andaman Is.), Thailand, W. Malaysia, Sabah, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java), Philippines, Australia, China (Henan).
- Habitat: Lowland; coastal vegetation (Thailand), swamp forest, oil palm plantations.
- Wing Length: 7mm
Taxonomy
The TL of the holotype of Rhodaria panopealis Walker, 1859:318 is ‘China’. Regarded as a good sp. by Munroe (1976).
Description
A brightly coloured (aposematic) orange and red species. The extent and distribution of the yellow and orange colouration can vary. Its world wide distribution and variability have resulted in many independent descriptions and confusion with Pyrausta phoenicealis (Hübner 1818). RTS (1994) report Philippine vars. that have an almost entirely purplish brown HW.
Life History
A pest of Perilla frutescens (shiso or wild Sesame), ornamental Solenostemon [Coleus] spp., Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) Hyptis pectinata, Hyptis capitata, Dicerandra frutescens,& Ocimum spp.(basils). The solitary caterpillar feeds within a web on the food plant and protect itself by reflex vomiting. It appears to be protected by terpenes derived from the food plant. The genera Hyptis & Dicerandra (Lamiaceae) upon which P. panopealis feeds occur within both the New and Old World tropics and serve as a host over much of the range (Smedley et al. 1990).
References
- Hübner, J., (1818) Zuträge zur Sammlung exotischer Schmettlinge [sic] bestehend in Bekundigung einzelner Fliegmuster neuer oder rarer nichteuropäischer Gattungen, 1: 52 pp [In German], bey dem Verfasser zu finden, Augsburg.
- Li, H. H., Ren, Y. D., Zhang, D. D., Du, X. C., Li, W. C., & Ping Y. (2009) Insect Fauna of Henan, Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea. Science Press, Beijing. 440 pp.
