Identification and Control Methods of the Pryeria sinica Moth on Japanese Euonymus

Scientific name: Pryeria sinica Moore

Morphological characteristics: The adult moth has a body length of about 12 mm and a wingspan of about 30 mm. The head, thorax and antennae are dark brown. The male moth's antennae are feathery, while the female's are pectinate. There are long orange-yellow hairs on the thorax dorsum and both sides of the abdomen. The forewings are semi-transparent, but the basal 1/3 of the wing is yellow, the rest is dark gray, and the veins are dark brown. The hindwings are yellow at the base. The eggs are oval and flat, initially yellowish-white, gradually turning light brown. The larva is about 20 mm long, with a small dark brown head and a yellow-green body, with sparse white fine hairs on the sides and back. The pupa is flat-oval, about 8-10 mm long. In the early stage, the head and thorax are light yellow-brown, and the abdomen is yellow-green. A black line is visible on the body, and it turns brown in the later stage. The pupa is often wrapped in an oval, flat, light brown cocoon.

Occurrence and damage: Japanese euonymus, silver-edged euonymus, golden-hearted wintercreeper, climbing euonymus, and winged euonymus. This insect has 1 generation per year. In the following year, eggs hatch from late March to early April. The larvae have a gregarious damaging habit. From late April to early May, the larvae mature, spin cocoons in shallow soil and pupate, overwintering as pupae in summer. In early November, adults emerge, mate and lay eggs. The eggs are laid on branch tips and overwinter as eggs. The larvae feed on host leaves, and when the infestation is severe, they eat all the leaves, affecting the normal growth of the plants.

Control methods:

1. Strengthen maintenance and management, and prune off branches with eggs.

2. Use black light traps to kill adults.

3. Spray 1500 times diluted Miman solution during the peak larval damage period.