Leucania senescens

Adults have been redescribed with high-resolution images to facilitate identification; specific diagnostic features distinguishing L. senescens from congeners such as L. rawlinsi are documented in the Brazilian redescription (Adams et al., 2019). The MONA/Hodges number is 10455.1.

Agricultural systems containing grass crops, particularly maize (Zea mays) fields. In Brazil, occurs in agroecosystems with transgenic and conventional maize varieties.

North America (original range, including conterminous United States); Brazil (first recorded in 2019, with confirmed presence at 13 localities through systematic surveys).

Larvae feed on maize silk (Zea mays), including both Bt and non-Bt varieties.

• Zea mays - larval food plantmaize silk, both Bt and non-Bt varieties

Larvae feed on maize silk, placing the species within the herbivorous insect fauna associated with maize agroecosystems. Adults are attracted to or associated with maize fields.

Herbivore in maize agroecosystems; larval host for braconid and tachinid parasitoids, contributing to local parasitoid food webs.

Potential pest of maize, particularly in Bt maize systems where its presence and feeding damage have been documented. First Brazilian records prompted taxonomic redescription to support future monitoring and research in agricultural systems.

• Leucania rawlinsiSympatric in Brazil and North America; both species feed on maize silk and were first recorded in Brazil in the same study; distinguished by adult morphology detailed in redescription

• agricultural pest
• maize
• parasitoid host
• noctuidae
• transgenic crops

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• First records of Leucania rawlinsi Adams and L. senescens Möschler (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Brazil: redescription, potential association with Bt maize, larval parasitoids, and spatial and temporal distribution