Sugarbeet Crown Borer Moth

Appearance

Forewing narrow, light brown to grayish-brown with reddish-brown to black band in basal area above AM line; AM line zizag with two large points; PM line jagged with several small points; AM and PM lines not parallel, pale, outlined in black; median area unmarked except for two black dots near center; dark shading beyond PM line does not reach outer margin hindwing more than twice as broad as forewing, grayish-brown, with darker shading toward outer margin; fringe whitish or pale gray.

Naming

Ancylosis undulatella (Clemens, 1860)
Nephopterix undulatella Clemens, 1860
Nephopteryx undulatellam Clemens (1860)
Hulstia undulatella
Scoparia rubiginalis Walker, 1866

Distribution

Ontario and Michigan to Florida, west to California, north to Oregon and Idaho wherever sugarbeets are grown.
Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario
US: California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington

Behavior

Adults are attracted to light. Adults fly from spring to fall.

Habitat

Commercial fields of sugarbeets

Reproduction

Two generations per year; overwinters as a pupa in the soil; adults emerge in spring and lay eggs around sugarbeet crowns or on leaves and leafstems.

Food

Larvae feed on leaves, leafstems, and crowns of sugarbeets.

Cultural

The larvae are considered a minor pest of sugarbeets, and usually cause minor damage.