Occurrence of the Velvetbean Caterpillar 1 in Mississippi: Winter Survival or Immigration 2

Abstract

The velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner, did not survive the winter of 1978–79 under experimental conditions in south Mississippi. Pupae held at 9°C or in overwintering field cages died before spring. Moths were not observed in spring in cages placed over wild hosts artificially infested with larvae or in emergence traps placed over areas known to be heavily infested with larvae during the previous fall. Moths were collected in black light traps in April 1978 but not in April 1979. Larvae were not collected on soybeans or wild hosts until late July 1978. The trend in larval population build-up was similar on soybeans and wild hosts until soybean maturity. Larvae were present on wild hosts until December in 1978. The April and June (1978) occurrences of moths were associated with air circulation patterns which may have carried them to Mississippi from south Florida or the Yucatan Peninsula.