Wild Host Plants of Helicoverpa zea and Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Eastern Tennessee

Abstract

Corn earworm, Helicoverpa (= Heliothis ) zea (Boddie), and tobacco budworm, H. virescens (F.), arc polyphagous, multivoltine insect pests that feed on numerous cultivated and wild bost plants. In eastern Tennessee during 1990 and 1991, larvae of H. zea were collected from 34 species of wild host plants in 11 families, and huvae of H. virescens were collected from 20 species in 9 families. One or the other or both species were found on a total of 39 species of wild hosts in 11 families. Early-season (june through July) wild host plants of both insect species included common mallow. Malva neglecta Wallroth, black medic, Medicago lupulina L., and crown vetch, Coronilla varia L. Hophornbeam copperleaf, Acalypha ostryaefolia Ridell, hairy galinsoga, Galinsoga cilliata (Rafinesque Blake, and crown vetch may be new host-plant records for H. zea and H. virescens . Dovefoot gerauium, Geraniium molle L., may represent a new host-plant record for H. zea . The diversity of the wild hostplant complex of H. zea and H. virescens in eastern Tennessee reflects the variety of suitable flora in this region. This host-plant diversity coupled with the patchy distribution of cropland within the regional agroecosystems may combine to prevent populations of H. zea and H. virescens from reaching the outbreak levels expelienced in other regions of the United States.