Biology of Heart moth, Dicycla oo in the Fars province (Iran)

The Heart moth, Dicycla oo (L.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), attacked a part of oak forests in Fars province of Iran in recent years. The larvae severely feed on buds and sprouts and cause the tree to be defoliated from leaves. The pest biological characteristic was studied in the Moordak region of the Kazeroon district during 2004-2007. The results showed that the pest had only one generation in a year. The life of the pest in egg stage was spent beneath the egg scales which had the same color to the oak barks in a part of spring, whole summer and winter. The neonate larvae appeared on the swelling buds from the first half of the March. The duration of embryonic period, larval stages, pre-pupae, pupae and adult longevity took long (320±8.37), (25±2.12), (3±0.34), (8±0.84), and (10±0.71) days respectively. The sex ratio was estimated 1:1 in laboratory and field conditions. The male and female adult longevity was determined 7 and 9 days, respectively. The first moths appeared in the late of April. The peak of moth’s flight occurred on 30th April to 9th May. The morphological characteristics including oviposition rate, body dimensions, head capsule width, pupae body dimensions, and adults were measured. The Male and female moths after forming was sent to Dr. Michael Fibiger in Denmark for confirmed of genus and species.