Among the pests with high risk for the EPPO region countries are the following species from the family Noctuidae:
Spodoptera ornithogalli (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (“yellow-striped armyworm”)
Host plants: Polyphagous, attacking a wide range of plants such as: tomato, pepper, eggplant, potato, tobacco, onion, peanut, family Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae, cotton, flax, rice, maize, bean, pea, soybean, sunflower, alfalfa, carrot, cucumber, sugar beet, asparagus.
Damage: The moth lays its eggs on the leaves. After hatching, the larvae feed on them, but also on the fruits of tomato, pepper, and cotton. The pest pupates in the soil. S. ornithogalli is mentioned as a major pest in the southern United States on vegetable crops such as tomato, pepper, legumes, cucurbits, as well as tobacco, soybean, maize, and alfalfa.
Dissemination: Over short distances it spreads through the flight of adults.
Pathways of entry: In new areas the pest is introduced with vegetable fruits, plants for planting, and cut flowers from host plants, originating from countries where S. ornithogalli occurs.
Possible risk: S. ornithogalli attacks many crops that are of primary importance for Europe. According to studies by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), there is a high risk of introduction of the pest into the region. It cannot overwinter in the north, but during the growing season it is likely to spread and establish in greenhouses.
