Vol. 94, No. 3, May & June 1983 101 AMPHIPOEA VELATA (WALKER) (LEPIDOPTERA: (NOCTUIDAE) ATTACKING CORN NEAR FRIENDSVILLE, MARYLAND 1 2 James W. Amrine, Jr., Linda Butler^ ABSTRACT: The noctuid, Amphipoea velata (Walker), was observed attacking 20-30 cm corn in early June in Garrett Co. Md. Larvae made nests by tying leaves together with silk. Feeding habits included general defoliation, tunneling in the stalk, and cutting through the base of the stalk. The larvae fed on several species of weeds in addition to corn. Infestations occurred in grassy-weedy patches and averaged 6.2 larvae per corn plant. Carbaryl treatment produced 40% mortality (many larvae were protected by their leafy retreats). On June 4, 1980, a sample of "leaf-tying" larvae was submitted to us for identification. The larvae were collected 4 from corn on a farm, 4 miles west of Friendsville, Garrett Co., Maryland. Using the larval key of Crumb, 1956, the specimens were identified to the genus Septis, a synonym of Amphipoea (=Apamea) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Approximately 75 larvae were placed on cabbage looper media; the majority fed and moulted to pupae but only 5 adults emerged. Adults were then identified by Linda Butler, and confirmed by Eric Quinter, American Museum of Natural History, as Amphipoea velata (Walker). The infested field was visited on June 5, 1980; the corn plants were 20 to 30 cm tall. The field was located along the top of a ridge. Cultivation was no-till, and numerous weeds occurred in random patches. The crop was planted on May 5, 1980 with an application of fonofos insecticide. The A. velata infestation was generally confined to weedy-grassy areas. The larvae made silken retreats by joining leaf margins together, thus forming curled tubes in corn and grass leaves, or leafy nests in broad-leaved weeds. Small larvae formed retreats by merely folding over leaf margins. Feeding habits included general defoliation, tunneling in the stalk, and cutting through the base of the stalk. Numerous plants were severely defoliated or cut off at the base. Damage to the corn crop was serious enough that the farmer considered plowing and replanting. A survey of another, distant corn field (5 km S.) indicated a light infestation along the forest margin ( 1 larva per 50 1 Received September 30, 1982. Accepted March 5, 1983. ^Published with the approval of the Director of the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station as Scientific Article # 1 796. This research was supported with funds appropriated under the Hatch Act. ^Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506 4 By Charles B. Sperow, Extension Specialist, Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506 ENT. NEWS, 94(3) 101-102 May & June 1983
BioStor
