Hellula undalis Fabricius

Taxonomy

The holotype of Phalaena undalis Fabricius, 1781: 226 is from Italy. comb. n. as the TS of Hellula Guenée, 1854: 415.

• syn. Ashwania reniculus Pajni & Rose 1977: 14, figs. 1-7 M. syn. n. Shaffer et al. (1996: 188-189).
• syn. Evergestis occidentalis Joannis, 1930: 148. TL Morocco? Shaffer et al. (1996: 188)
• syn. Scoparia alconalis Walker 1859e: 827. TL Sri Lanka. Syn. n. (Swinhoe & Cotes 1889: 665).
• Scoparia alconalis Walker, 1859: 827 type locality: Sri Lanka [Ceylon]
• syn. Leucinodes exemptalis Walker 1865 [1866]: 1313-1314. TL China. As syn. (Globiz).
• syn. Pionea geyri Rothchild 1915: 401. TL Algeria (Hoggar Mountains). The male type & genitalia slide #14336, are in the BMNH.
• syn. Nymphula lunulalis Costa [1836]: 204, pl. 4, fig. 3. TL Italy (Naples). Syn. n. (Zeller 1847: 582).

Description

A distinctive fawn and brown species with pale submedian and post median lines on the FW which also has a dark termenal edge. The HW is pale with a pale brown suffusion towards the termen.

Life History

One of a series of moths referred to as the ‘cabbage web worm’ or ‘cluster caterpillar’. A pest of brassicas and other crucifers (Brassicaceae); Brassica oleracea (cabbage), B. rapa (pak choi), spinach (Conway & Tay, 1968), Rapeseed (canola) in Australia (Common, 1990). This species is also mentioned as attacking Mikaniana microcantha (Asteracea) a common weed in SE Asia.

References

• Fabricius, J.C. (1782 [1781]) Species insectorum exhibentes eorum differentias specificas, synonyma, auctorum loca natalia, metamorphosin adiectis observationibus, descriptionibus. Vol. 1. Hamburgi et Kilonii [= Hamburg & Kiel] C. E. Bohn: 552 pp.. [In Latin]
• Costa, O. G. (1829-1850 [1836]) Lepidoterri; Fauna del Regno di Napoli ossia enumerazione di tutti gli animali che abitano Ie diverse regioni di questa regno e le acque che le bagnano contenente la descrizione de nuovi 0 poco esattamente conosciuti. Naples. Torchi. 446 pp 38 pl. [In Italian]
• Guenée, A. (1854) Deltoïdes et pyralites. In Boisduval, J.A. & Guenée, A., Hist. nat. des Insectes (Spec. gén. Lépid.) Vol. 8, 448pp. + 10 pls., Librarie Encyclopédique de Roret: Paris.
• Walker, F. (1865 [1866 Jan 13]) List Spec Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. 34, (Suppl. 4): 1121-1533.
• Swinhoe, C. & E. C. Cotes (1889) A catalogue of the moths of India. Part V. Pyrales. The Trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. 591-670.
• Rothschild, L. W. (1915d) Rothschild W. 1915d. On the Lepidoptera collected in 1913-1914 by Herr Geyr von Schweppenburg on a journey to the Hoggar Mountains (Sahara). Part 2. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., Ser.8, 16 (95): 392-402.
• Watanabe, T. (1927) A control method for Hellula undalis a pest of vegetables. Agric. & Hortic., Tokyo: 2 :957-992. [in Japanese]
• Conway, G. & Tay, E.B. (1968) Crop pests in Sabah, Malaysia and their control: With a provisional check list of insects and other animals of agricultural importance in Sabah. Kementerian Pertanian dan Perikanan Sabah, Malaysia [State Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Sabah, Malaysia)].
• Common, I.F.B. (1990) Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, Australia. pp. 535.
• [RTS] (1994): 166, pl.29, fig.18.
• [RTS] Robinson, G.S., Tuck, K.R. & Shaffer, M. (1994) A Field Guide to the Smaller Moths of South-East Asia, Malaysian Nature Society Kuala Lumpur & Natural History Museum, London, 311 pp. 51 text figs, 32 pls.
• Walker, F. (1859e) XIX Pyralides [sic], In; List Spec. Lepid. Ins. Coll. B. M., Cat. Lepid. Heterocera. Ser. 4, 19: 799-1036.
• Pajni, H. R. & H. S. Rose (1977b) J. Ent. Res, New Delhi 1 (1)