Alfalfa Webworm

Late May to early September.

Quebec to British Columbia, south to Mexico in the west (Munroe 1976). Type Locality Texas. Not reported from Alberta by Bowman (1951) but the illustrated specimen, collected by Bowman in 1922 was misidentified as L. commixtalis; and Banff, Jasper and Nordegg material collected by Bowman, also in UASM were also misidentified as commixtalis. Known from Alberta from Bindloss, Buffalo Lake Conservation Area, Caribou Mountains, East Arrowwood Coulee, Lowden Springs Conservation Area, Lost River, Red Deer, Olds, Tolman Bridge and Wabasca.

Ground color brownish gray. Forewing with veins expanded towards the yellowish buff ST band. There is a faint, yellowish buff ST line on the hindwings. Wingspan 30-34 mm. The genitalia were described by Munroe (1976). Somewhat similar to Loxostege commixtalis but browner, larger, and with FW veins more expanded towards the ST band. Munroe (1976) comments that the "male and female genitalia are not greatly different from those of commixtalis, except blunt cornutus of male generally larger and more broadly spatulate at tip; female with shorter ostial chamber and longer and more pronounced constriction".

Prairies, aspen parkland and south-facing, open slopes.

Described by Allyson (1976). Much like that of Loxostege sticticalis (Munroe 1976). Mainly night-flying.

Range of foodplants similar to that of Loxostege sticticalis (Munroe 1976).

Loxostege cereralis, the alfalfa webworm, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It is found from Quebec to British Columbia, south to Mexico in the west.

Eggs Larva

The wingspan is 13–25 mm. Adults are on wing from May to early September.

The larvae feed on alfalfa and a variety of other crops and weed species.