Chrysodeixis chalcites

The Tomato Looper or golden twin-spot moth (Chrysodeixis chalcites) is a moth of the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae. It is found from southern Europe, the Levant and tropical Africa, but can be found in great parts of Europe because it is a migratory species. It has also recently been reported from North America.[1]

Tomato Looper
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Noctuidae
Genus:
Chrysodeixis
Species:
C. chalcites
Binomial name
Chrysodeixis chalcites
(Esper, 1789)
Synonyms
  • Phalaena-Noctua chalcites Esper, 1789
  • Plusia verticillata
  • Plusia chalcites
  • Phytometra chalcytes
  • Autographa chalcites

The length of the forewings is 15–18 mm. The moth flies from June to October.

The larvae feed on various herbaceous plants, such as Echium vulgare, Apium, Rubus, but also Tomato, Fragaria and Tobacco[2] which is why it is perceived as a pest.

Chrysodeixis chalcites and Chrysodeixis eriosoma moths cannot be separated morphologically and they may be sibling species. However, they may be distinguished based on DNA sequencing, pheromones, or geographic origin, as C. chalcites is found in the Palearctic and C. eriosoma in the tropical and subtropical regions of eastern Asia and the Pacific islands as well as in Australia and New Zealand. The literature referring to C. chalcites in southern and eastern Asia or Oceania may actually refer to C. eriosoma.[3]

  • Larva

Notes
  1. ^ The flight season refers to The Netherlands. This may vary in other parts of the range.

References
  1. Murillo, H.; Hunt, D.W.A.; VanLaerhoven, S.L. (2013). "First records of Chrysodeixis chalcites (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Plusiinae) for east-central Canada". The Canadian Entomologist. 145 (3): 338–342.
  2. "Flora of Zimbabwe: Lepidoptera - Butterflies and Moths: Chrysodeixis chalcites".
  3. "The Food and Environment Research Agency – Rapid Pest Risk Analysis for Chrysodeixis chalcites".


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