Heliothis armigera (Hubner)

Swezey, O. H., 1946, Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Arctiidae, Agrotidae, and Pyralidae of Guam, Insects of Guam II, Honolulu, Hawaii: Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin 189, pp. 163-185 : 165

1. Heliothis armigera (Hubner) .

Noctua armigera Hubner, Europ. Schmett., Tab. Noctua, pl. 79, fig. 370, 1802-1808.

Heliothis armigera, Hampson, Fauna Brit. India, Moths 2: 174, fig. 114, 1894.

Heliothis armigera, Tams, Ins. Samoa 3 (4): 196, 1935.

Sinajana , June 15, Swezey; Machanao, June 30, Swezey, Usinger ; Piti , at light, July 26, Swezey; Libugon , Aug. 12, Swezey; Dededo , Sept. 7, Swezey; Piti , Sept. 14, Swezey. One at U. S. National Museum and one at Bishop Museum, Fullaway , 1911.

This cosmopolitan pest was recorded in Guam by Fullaway in 1911 . We found it to be the worst pest of corn, many of the ears being attacked by one to three caterpillars. A few caterpillars could always.be found on tobacco, and an occasional one on faro. Most of our specimens were reared. In the 'citation above, Tams gives reasons why the name Heliothis armigera should be used for this cosmopolitan pest. He says: "It is to be hoped that nothing will occur to disturb further the name Heliothis armigera ."