Evergestis

Habitat varies considerably among species. E. alborivulalis occupies xerothermophilous to mesophilous environments including Quercus and Carpinus forests, volcanic mountain crests, karst plateaux, and meadows at elevations of 150–1000 m in the Pannonian region; in Asia, it occurs in colline and mountainous regions, Artemisia steppes, forest-steppe, and taiga ecosystems. E. extimalis occurs in spring rape fields on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, with documented range expansion to higher altitudes (up to 2800 m by 2010).

Palaearctic distribution with strong regional variation. E. alborivulalis shows a disjunct, polycentric-Siberian pattern with core populations in southern Siberia and relict populations in the southern Urals, Crimea, Asia Minor, Balkan Peninsula, Pannonian Region, and Iberian Peninsula. E. extimalis occurs on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau with expanding altitudinal range. E. kopetdagensis ranges from Van Province, Turkey to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Multiple species recorded from Iran, Kyrgyzstan, and Kashmir. GBIF records indicate presence in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Vermont, USA.

E. alborivulalis: adults active from late April to September, with two overlapping generations in most areas; some populations may have only a single generation. E. forficalis: active in Kashmir fields from July to September. E. extimalis: spring pest in rape fields.

Larval diet varies by species: E. rimosalis and E. forficalis feed on cruciferous crops (Brassicaceae), including cabbage and Brassica oleracea var. acephala. E. alborivulalis: larval host plant unknown. E. extimalis: feeds on spring rape. Adults of E. alborivulalis feed at flowers; specific nectar sources not investigated.

• Cotesia orobenae Forbes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) - parasitoidGregarious endoparasitoid of E. rimosalis; optimal development at 20–25°C
• Chorinaeus sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) - parasitoidRecorded on E. forficalis in Kashmir

E. alborivulalis: two overlapping generations from late April to September in most areas, though some populations may have only one generation; early stages and host plant unknown. E. forficalis: biology documented on Brassica oleracea var. acephala; active July–September in Kashmir. E. extimalis: overwinters as larvae; supercooling point ranges from −6.85°C to −12.49°C; cold hardiness increasing with documented range expansion to higher altitudes.

E. alborivulalis adults fly by day in strong sunshine and at sunset with rapid, erratic flight over short distances; also fly at night and come to light. Adults rest on grass stems and ground, and are highly alert, suddenly flying when approached.

E. alborivulalis is considered a significant Siberian relict element in the Pannonian Region with conservation importance for EU fauna; protected in Hungary. Several species act as herbivores in agricultural ecosystems, with E. rimosalis and E. forficalis functioning as pests of Brassicaceae crops. E. extimalis serves as host for entomopathogenic fungi and ice-nucleation-active bacteria affecting overwintering larval metabolism.

Multiple species are agricultural pests. E. rimosalis (cross-striped cabbageworm) is a documented pest of cole crops including cabbage, subject to biological control research using Cotesia orobenae. E. forficalis is a pest of cruciferous crops in Kashmir, India. E. extimalis is an emerging pest of spring rape on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau with expanding range. Sex pheromone of E. extimalis has been isolated and identified for potential monitoring or control applications.

• crambid moth
• agricultural pest
• crucifer pest
• Palaearctic
• biological control
• cold hardiness
• conservation
• Siberian relict

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• What is Evergestis pazukii Alipanah, 2018? (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Glaphyriinae)
• Disjunct distribution of Evergestis alborivulalis (Eversmann, 1843) in the Palaearctic (Lepidoptera: Crambidae, Evergestinae)
• Development of Cotesia orobenae Forbes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in its Host, Evergestis rimosalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
• Cotesia orobenae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Gregarious Endoparasitoid of Evergestis rimosalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), and Hyperparasitoids in Virginia Brassica Crops
• Evergestis forficalis (L.) (Lepidoptera, Crambidae), a pest of cruciferous crops in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, India
• Taxonomic study of the genus Evergestis Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Glaphyriinae) in Iran with description of a new species
• New data on the systematics and distribution of snout moths of the genus Evergestis Hübner, [1825] in Kyrgyzstan (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
• Preliminary analysis of geographical distribution based on cold hardiness for Evergestis extimalis (Scopoli) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
• Isolation and Identification of the Sex Pheromone of Evergestis extimalis Scopoli (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).
• Isolation, Identification, Biological Characterization, and Pathogenicity of Entomopathogenic Fungus from the Larvae of the Evergestis extimalis (Scopoli) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).
• The Effect of Ice-Nucleation-Active Bacteria on Metabolic Regulation in Evergestis extimalis (Scopoli) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Overwintering Larvae on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.