Chloridea Dipsacea

a moth of the family Noctuidae, injurious to crops. The wingspan is 30-35 mm. The caterpillars, which are up to 40 mm long, have small spines and are mainly greenish with light and dark stripes on the back. They pupate in the soil. Chloridea dipsacea develops in two generations. The insects winter in the soil predominantly as pupae or sometimes as caterpillars. The moths hatch in May, and lay their eggs singly on the leaves and flowers of various plants. Distributed in Europe and Asia, C. dipsacea is found throughout the entire steppe and forest-steppe zone of the USSR. It damages many cultivated plants, particularly alfalfa, flax, and soybeans. The principal damage is done by the caterpillars, which eat the leaves and seeds, thereby decreasing harvests. Control measures include deep autumn-plowing, systematic interrow tillage, destruction of weeds, and application of insecticides when the caterpillars appear.