Hellula undalis (Fabricius, 1781)
(one synonym :
Pionea geyri Rothschild, 1915)
Cabbage Webworm
GLAPHYRIINAE ,
CRAMBIDAE
Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(updated 6 February 2008)
These Caterpillars are an agricultural pest on crops in the
Cabbage (
BRASSICACEAE ) family, particularly:
Head Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea var. capitata ),
Chinese Cabbage ( Brassica rapa var. pekinensis ), and
Mustard Cabbage ( Brassica juncea ).
The caterpillars initially bore into the stem of growing shoots,
later instars feeding in the leaves and leaf stems.
The caterpillars make a web of silk around their feeding area which
accumulates frass.
Pupation occurs within the silken shelter.
(Picture: courtesy of
CSIRO Entomology)
Adult moths have fawn forewings, each with sinuous pale lines
and a kidney-shaped mark.
The hindwings are a uniform grey darkening at the margins.
The wingspan is about 2 cms.
The pheromones
have been determined and are used in
Integrated Pest Management techniques for this species.
The species occurs from Europe across Asia to
the Pacific, including :
Australia,
Malaysia,
Midway Atoll, and
Hawaii.
Further reading :
Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp. 66, 354.
P.C. Hely, G. Pasfield, and J.G. Gellatley,
Insect pests of fruit and vegetables in NSW.
Inkata Press, Melbourne.
