Beet Webworm Moth

Very common, of no concern.

May to August.

Widely distributed throughout the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions. In North America, across Canada, north into the Northwest Territories and the Yukon, south to Arizona (Munroe 1976). The Type Locality is Uppsala, Sweden. Reported from Areas 2-8 (Prairie and Aspen Parkland), 10 (Edmonton), 15 (Peace River) and 18 (Waterton) in Alberta by Bowman (1951). Also known from Big Knife Provincial Park, Bindloss, the Buffalo Lake Conservation Area, the J.J. Collett Natural Area, Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, Dunvegan, East Arrowwood Coulee, Erskine, Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, Lost River, Lowden Springs Conservation Area, Max Lake, Medicine Lake Recreation Area, Nevis, Pine Lake, Red Deer, Rochon Sands Provincial Park, Steveville and Winfield.

Ground color grayish brown, forewings above with a whitish discal spot and a yellowish ST stripe, hind wings above grayish brown with a thin yellowish ST line and a yellowish PM line. Wingspan 22-24 mm. The genitalia are described by Munroe (1976). Somewhat similar to L. cereralis and L. commixtalis, but smaller and upperside of the forewings without black streaking and wedges, and with a yellowish ST stripe that is distinctly expanded near vein R1.

Widespread throughout aspen parkland and prairie areas.

The larvae pass the winter in silk-lined cells in loose soil (Bird 1961). The moths are both diurnal and nocturnal and come to light.

The larvae feed on many of the broad-leaved weeds, particularly Chenopodium album (lamb's-quarters), but also attack flax, sugar beets, sunflowers and many garden plants. In the aspen parkland, numbers increased with the advent of agriculture in the 1900-1920 period (Bird 1961).

Loxostege sticticalis is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1761 and is found in the Palearctic and Nearctic realms.

The wingspan is 24–29 millimetres (0.94–1.14 in). The moth flies from May to September depending on the location.

Figs.8, 8a larva after final moult

The larvae feed on various herbaceous plants, such as mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), beet, Chenopodium album and Artemisia campestris. It can become a pest for sugar beet and tobacco.