Possible occurrence of Spodoptera eridania in India (and Asia)
Spodoptera eridania (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae – EPPO A1 List) is a polyphagous pest native to the Americas, occurring from Southern USA to Argentina. It was first recorded in Africa in 2018 (EPPO RS 2018/091).
The pest was first reported from India based on a finding in 2019. This is also the first report for Asia. In September 2019, larvae of a Spodoptera sp. were noticed damaging soybean (Glycine max) fields in the village of Tamgaon (Maharashtra). The species was different from S. litura (EPPO A1 List) which usually occurs in this region. On the basis of morphological characters of the larvae the author concludes that the species is S. eridania. However, no adults could be observed to confirm this identification. In addition, the author of the report indicated that the species had not been observed in 2020 and 2021.
Sources
Gaikwad SM (2021) First report of Spodoptera eridania (Stoll) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] from Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 9(2), 1419-1422.
Personal communication with SM Gaikwad (2021-10).