Agapeta zoegana
Encyclopedia
Agapeta zoegana is a species of moth
known as the sulphur knapweed moth and the yellow-winged knapweed root moth. It is used as an agent of biological pest control
against noxious knapweeds
, particularly spotted knapweed
(Centaurea maculosa) and diffuse knapweed
(Centaurea diffusa).
The adult moth is bright yellow
with areas of brown on its wings. It is about 11 millimeters long. The adult lives for only a few days, during which time the female lays eggs on stems and leaves. The larva
, a root miner, moves to the root of the plant and tunnels through the cortex as it feeds. This causes moderate damage to the plant.
This moth is native to Eurasia. It was introduced to the western and west-central United States
starting in the 1980s and it is now established in knapweed populations. It reduces the spread of the plants in areas where mechanical and chemical control is not practical. It lives on spotted and diffuse knapweed and has not been found to damage other plants.
Flight is from May to August from dusk, and is attracted to light.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
known as the sulphur knapweed moth and the yellow-winged knapweed root moth. It is used as an agent of biological pest control
Biological pest control
Biological control of pests in agriculture is a method of controlling pests that relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms...
against noxious knapweeds
Centaurea
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich...
, particularly spotted knapweed
Centaurea maculosa
Centaurea maculosa, the spotted knapweed, is a species of Centaurea native to eastern Europe.It has been introduced to North America, where it is considered an invasive plant species in much of the western United States and Canada. In 2000, C. maculosa occupied more than in the US.Knapweed is a...
(Centaurea maculosa) and diffuse knapweed
Diffuse knapweed
Diffuse Knapweed , also known as White Knapweed or Tumble Knapweed, is a member of the genus Centaurea in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Asia Minor , the Balkans, , Ukraine, and southern Russia. Diffuse knapweed is an annual or biennial plant, generally growing to between 10 and 60 cm...
(Centaurea diffusa).
The adult moth is bright yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
with areas of brown on its wings. It is about 11 millimeters long. The adult lives for only a few days, during which time the female lays eggs on stems and leaves. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
, a root miner, moves to the root of the plant and tunnels through the cortex as it feeds. This causes moderate damage to the plant.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
starting in the 1980s and it is now established in knapweed populations. It reduces the spread of the plants in areas where mechanical and chemical control is not practical. It lives on spotted and diffuse knapweed and has not been found to damage other plants.
Flight is from May to August from dusk, and is attracted to light.