About the Oriental Eight-Spot
Amyna axis, the oriental eight-spot, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It occurs in Africa, temperate Asia, Australia and the Cook Islands. The New World population of Amyna axis was determined to be a separate species, Amyna stricta, in 2015.
The moth migrates north each year in late summer and fall. The larvae feed on Amaranthus, Croton, Celosia, Digera, Helianthus, Chenopodium, Spinacia, Ipomoea, Ricinus, Arachis, Crotalaria, Medicago, Phaseolus, Hibiscus, Cardiospermum, Solanum, Corchorus and Parasponia species.
It is an irregular minor pest of mung beans (Vigna radiata), black-eyed peas (Vigna unguiclata), lucerne (Medicago sativa) and soy beans (Glycine max). Its prevalence may be under reported due to the resemblance of the caterpillar with those of Chrysoieixis species.
The larvae are thin bodied and have faint white stripes and two pairs of ventral prolegs. At low densities of groups, caterpillars are pale green. Among caterpillars at high densities, there are higher frequencies of melanistic phenotypes. The degree of blackening varied widely, ranging from individuals... Wikipedia →