Fruit-piercing Moths in Japan By ISOKO HATTORI Researcher, Laboratory of Insect Identificotion and Taxonomy, Division of Entomology, Department of Plant Pathology and Entomology, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences bore various fruits, and those of the second, Species of fruit-piercing- Lepidoptera to which most of the species belong, feed only on the juice of damaged fruits. The following In Japan, fruit-piercing moths are known Table 2 shows the species of fruit-piercers to pierce and suck the juice from ripening belonging to Catocalinae of Noctuidae in fruits, causing the fruits to rot and drop. Japan, and seventeen species with an asterisk They also occur in Africa, South America, throughout South-east Asia and Australia and are considered to be more important sepcies. Structure of the proboscis. constitute an important problem in these areas. Structure of the probosics Well over a hundred species belonging to thirteen families of Lepidoptera have been The fruit-piercing moths bore the outer observed flying to orchard in Japan. The skin of fruits by means of the stout tip of the number of species is as shown in Table 1. proboscis which has various accessories on the These lepidopterous insects are divided into outer surface. The structure of the proboscis two groups; those of the first group, called is classified into the following two types: fruit-piercing moths, have ability to pierce or 1. Drilling or piercing type: The proboscis has a very stout, acute tip and particular Table 1. Number of species of Lepidoptera accessories adapted for drilling the fruits and collected in orchards this type is divided into five groups. Family Number of species Group-a includes the genera Ad1·is, Othreis Sphingidae 3 Arctiidae 1 Agaristidae 1 Noctuidae 91 Lasiocampidae 1 Eu peterotidae 1 Thyatiridae , 1 Drepanidae 1 Geometridae 8 Pyralidae 6 Tortricidae 1 Nymphalidae 3 Satyridae 2 Fig. 1. The proboscis of Adris ty1·annus amuren­ Total 120 sis Staudinger -32 - Table 2. Fruit-piercing moths and their attacking fruits in Japan s:: Attaking fruits 0 a .., ·;;;e ; .... "'::, Moths <I) b.O <I) O' 0. <C 0. ~ * Adris tyrannus amure11sis Staudinger X X X X X X X X X * Othreis fullonica Clerck X X X X * Ewnaenas salaminia Cramer X * Oraesia excavata Butler X X X X X X X X X * Oraesia emarginata Fabricius X X X X X X X X * Calpe gruesa Draudt X X X X X X * Calpe lata Butler X X X X * Calpe hokkaida Wileman X X X X * Calpe thalictri Borkhausen X X X X X X * Plusiodonta castct Butler X X X X X X X * Plusiodonta coelonota Kollar X X * Serrodes campa11a Guenee X X X * Ercheia umbrosa Butler X X X X X * Scoliopteryx libatrix Linne X X X X X * Anomis commoda Butler X X X * Anomis jlava Fabricius X X X * Anomis mesogon.a Walker X X X X X X X X Parallelia stuposa Fabricius X X X X Parallelia arctotaenia Guenee X X X X Parallelia maturata Walker X X X X X X Thyas dotata Fabricius X X X X Dermaleipa juno Dalman X X X X X X X Speiredonia retorta Clerck X X X X X X Erebus crepuscularis Linnee X X X Arcte coerulea Guene X X X X X X X and EU'rna e:w /$. The proboscis has two lines The surface is ,:nnulate. of several conical processes on the lateral side, Gl'oup- e includes the genera Anomis and serrate projections on the ventral side. An Sco/:iovteryx. The pl'oposcis is with spine-like oblique edgy keel extends from the ventrolater­ a l conical processes to the ventral projection (Fig. 1). Group-b includes the genera Ornesia, Calpe and Plusioclontct. The proboscis has several conical processes and many acute spine-like projections on the lateral side. Group- c includes the genus Serrodes. The proboscis is with the acute conical and spine­ like projections on the lateral side, serrated projections near tip on the ventral and the dorsal sides (Fig. 2). Group-d includes the genus Ernheici. The Fig. 2. The proboscis of Serrodes c£w1.7J(tnct proboscis is with the acute beak-like apex. Guence -33 - projections on the lateral side. piercing moths in orchards was observed about 2. Sucking type: The proboscis has a one hour after sunset and were abundant from membraneous tip which is unable to pierce eight to eleven at night. The distance of flight some fruits such as citrus fruits, apples or of the moths was about five hundred meters pears from the outer surface. Sometimes it in general. It semed to be rare that the moth has accessories on the lateral, ventral or dorsal fully sucked j uice of fruits appear twice in sides, though they are soft (Fig. 3). Occasion- the same orchard. Phototropism: The phototropic response is not equal in each species of fruit-piercing moths. Oraesia excavata, Calpe latci, Derma­ leipa juno and Arcte coerulea were well at­ tracted to blue fluorescent light traps, while Adri.s tyrannus a1nuren.sis rather showed nega­ tive phototropism. Oraesia emarginata was not attracted so much to lights. Larval food-plants : Larvae of fruit-pierc­ ing moths feed on various plants such as Lardizabalaceae, lVIenispermaceae, Rhanun­ F ig. 3. The proboscis of Emnonodici vespertilio Fabricius cu laceae or others. The population density of larvae around orchards or in field appears very ally species belonging to the genera Parallelia, low. Larvae generally feed leaves at night Thyas, Derrnaleiva., Speiredonia, E1·ebus or and often fall to the ground when disturbed. Arcte pierce some ripened fruits such as Pupation takes place in a slight cocoon be­ peaches or grapes. tween leaves which have been drawn together Habitat with sill<. Seasonal occurrence of moths (Table 3): Adris t11mnnus mnurensis Staudinger is con­ sidered the species most widely distributed 'fable 3. The appearance of the major pests throughout Japan. Both Ccilve lata Butler and and the harvest season of some C. gruesa. Draudt are abundant species in the fruit-trees. northern districts and Oraesia ea;cavata Butler and 0. emarg·inata Fabricius are more abun­ ,e dant in the southern districts. A. tyrannus Cal1u• ltrt11 mnurensis seems to be the most serious pest followed by 0. excavctta and O. emm·ginata. In some places the population density of C. latc.1,, C. gruesa, Ercheia u1nb1·osa Butler, Der­ mctleip<L juno Dalman and Arcte coerulea (;irrull fr11its=========:;i-----c= Guenee seems to be higher than those of the ~pptc lfUJ>t above three species. The population density piear of the species such as Sen·odes ccmipana S,M<:h Guenee, Calve hokkaida Wileman, Plu.siodonta 11lun1 ~ l0q1,1at a:=: coelonota Kollar, Othreis fullonicci Clerck, Eii­ maenas sa.lam.inia Cramer and Anomis flava Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Fabricius is lo,v. They seem to be the local pests. The moths begin to appear early in June in southern districts. Because of the absence of Habits adequate fruits to attack at the said time, they Flight habit: The appearance of fruit- occasionally suck the juice of tomatoes or wild ~ 34 - berries. 'l'he flying of moths to orchards Oraesia emcirginata Fabricius (Fig. 5). generally increases from August and reaches Length of fore wing about 20 mm. Fore wing to maximum during September and October. red-brown suffused with purplish; one dark It coincides with the harvest season of fruits streak on mP.dian nervure, one oblique double in Japan. There seems to be a tendency for line from apex to inner margin beyond middle; Calpe lcita. and C. g,ruesa to be abundant in suffused with golden brown near hind angle. August and Adris tyrannus amuren-is during Fore wing of female more variegated, one August and October, and sometimes in Novem­ white streak on vein 2. Hind wing ochreous ber in southern districts. The peak of abun­ white suffused fuscous. Habitat: Japan (Hon­ dance of 0. excavata extends from August to shu, Shikoku, Kyushu), Korea, Formosa, September, and the peak of abundance of China, Ceylon, India. 0. e·ma1·ginata. from July to October. Oraesia excavata Butler (Fig. 6) . Length of Diagnosis The characters of major pests are as follows: Adris tyrannus amitrensis Staudinger (Fig. 4). Length of fore wing about 50 mm. Fig. 6. 01·aesia excavcita Butler. fore wing about 23 mm. Fore wing red-brown suffused with purplish, one dark oblique line from apex to inner margin beyond middle. Fig. 4. Adris tyrannns a1niwensis Staudinger. Hind wing ochreous white suffused with fuscous. Habitat: Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Foi·e wing chestnut-red in male, chestnut­ Kyushu), Korea, China. green in female, with antemedial oblique Calve lata Butler (Fig. 7). Length of fore rufous line; hind wing orange, with very large black lunule beyond lower angle of cell, one black submarginal band with waved edges from costa to vein 2. Habitat : Japan, Korea, Mandchuria, Amur, Ussuri. Fig. 7. Calve lata Butler. wing about 28 mm. Antennae of female filiform. Fore wing ochreous brown suffused with golden yellow; one oblique line from apex_ Fir;. 5. Oraes:ci emcwgincitci Fabricius. to inner margin red-brown, rather curved - 35 ~ inner side between vein 1 and 2; with one In other experiments the influence of light black spot at upper and lower angle of cell. elements, such as wave length, brightness, Outer margin of fore wing somewhat waved. luminosity level and light energy, on the Hind wing pale fuscous. Mid tibia of male change from dark to light adaptation was ex­ with tuft of hair. Habitat: Japan (Honshu), amined by applying light filter methods.