Insect · GBIF taxon 10118643
Tobacco Budworm Moth
Chloridea virescensAlso known as Tobacco Budworm, Green Budworm Moth
Green-tinged forewings marked with three diagonal cream stripes allow tobacco budworm moths to blend seamlessly against foliage during the day. Caterpillars of this noctuid moth feed voraciously on the buds and flowers of economically vital crops like tobacco, cotton, and tomatoes, making them a major agricultural pest. Females locate host plants by sensing airborne chemical cues and lay single light-green eggs directly onto young terminal leaves.
NocturnalAgricultural PestMoth
1 / 7—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Tobacco buds
- Cotton bolls
- Solanaceous flowers
Predators
- Bats
- Insectivorous birds
- Parasitoid wasps
ThreatsWidespread chemical insecticide applications and crop rotations
HabitatsAgricultural fields, gardens, pastures, and disturbed grasslands
Life span1–2 months total (adults live 10–25 days)
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNoctuidae
- GenusChloridea
- SpeciesChloridea virescens
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Blacklight Attraction: Attract adults at night using ultraviolet light traps near crop fields or gardens.
- Inspect Plant Terminals: Look for small green caterpillars tucked inside tender flower buds or terminal shoots during the day.
Image unavailableParasite 
Competitor "Tobacco Hornworm Caterpillar" by cbede is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Bernie Paquette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bernie Paquette · cc-by
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