Increased occurrence of five Noctuidae species in Slovenia in the period 2019-2022: presentation of the species and preliminary results of their occurrence and damage

Abstract

In this paper, we present five species of owlet moths (Noctuidae), whose greater abundance was found in Slovenia in the period 2019-2022 as part of research and expert work in the field of plant protection. The greatest economic importance is attributed to the tomato looper (Chrysodeixis chalcites), which two years after its first strong appearance on the Slovenian coastal area is already causing major problems for tomato growers. We did not confirm the harmfulness of the caterpillars on cultivated plants for the silver-Y moth (Autographa gamma), the adult males of which are caught in large numbers using pheromone traps in central Slovenia, and the less numerous beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua). We can confirm the same for the shark moth (Cucullia umbratica), whose adult males are caught in pheromone traps of the EU quarantine pest Spodoptera frugiperda and the copper underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea), for which we suggest the Slovenian name ‘bakreni podkrilec’, which appeared in, on or in the immediate vicinity of the pheromone traps of the spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) in the oak-hornbeam forest in Prekmurje.