Hollyhock
Guides
Atomacera decepta
Hibiscus Sawfly, Mallow Sawfly
The hibiscus sawfly (Atomacera decepta) is a herbivorous sawfly in the family Argidae that feeds primarily on members of the mallow family (Malvaceae). Despite its caterpillar-like larvae, it belongs to the Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants) rather than Lepidoptera. The species is known for causing significant defoliation damage to ornamental hibiscus, hollyhocks, and marsh-mallow, though it has not developed a strong preference for economically important crops like cotton or okra.
Bucculatrix quadrigemina
A small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1918. Known from California, where larvae mine leaves of Althaea rosea (hollyhock). Adults fly from January through June and again in October. The species exhibits typical bucculatricid biology: early instars are leaf miners, later instars feed externally creating holes, and pupation occurs in a white cocoon.
Rhopalapion longirostre
Hollyhock Weevil
Rhopalapion longirostre is a weevil species commonly known as the Hollyhock Weevil, native to central Asia and now distributed across Europe, the Middle East, and North America. It is strongly associated with hollyhock plants (Alcea species), on which it completes its entire life cycle. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism in rostrum length, with females possessing elongated rostra for oviposition. Since the 1960s, it has undergone rapid range expansion attributed to climate change and anthropogenic dispersal.