The first report of acherontia lachesis (F.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) infestation on Tobacco in oyama, tochigi prefecture

Abstract

Herbivory by the death's head hawkmoth, Acherontia lachesis (F.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), on tobacco was recorded in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture. The larvae attacked leaves in the lower to middle portion of the plants. They consumed a large area of leaf except the midrib. Typically, one larva consumed several leaves from a few adjacent plants. Observation in a 570m 2 tobacco field (1,110 plants; var. Tsukuba 1), where no pesticides had been applied since transplanting, revealed that 80 plants (7.2%) were injured by final instar larvae of this species. The overall decrease in yield is estimated to be less than 1% by defoliation due to this pest.