Moths in the News: Moths helping to stem the flu!
Everyone hates being sick and the flu is an annual drag on society. We hate it. And we all know someone - or some years many someones - who get caught by the bug.
The larval form of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)
Well, believe it or not, one of the three flu vaccines that is available is produced with the help of a "bug," a Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) to be more precise. This particular vaccine is the most recent development, using an insect virus with recombitant DNA technology to produce the vaccine more rapidly than the previous techniques. Thanks Armyworms!
You can read more about it in this article from The Vaccine Reaction.
The adult form of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)
Fall Armyworms are a common moth found in the eastern half of the country, wrapping around into Texas. They are within the same genus Spodoptera as the even more common Yellow-striped Armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli). Armyworms are one of many moths that are given their common name from their caterpillar stage. They are known to wipe out crops as though an army descended upon them. The Latin specific epithet frugiperda means "lost fruit" because they eat fruit so quickly.
Apparently this species is thought to be undergoing sympatric evolution (evolving into two species while occupying the same geographical area), so in the future there will likely be a new species described that was previously considered a Fall Armyworm.
As with common names of plants and other forms of life, the name "Armyworm" is not a really good taxonomical descriptor. It is applied to several Spodoptera species, as well as to one moth in a different genus. The "True Armyworm" (also called "Common Armyworm" or "White-Speck") is Mythimna unipuncta. This moth derives its name of armyworm for the same reason. I prefer the name "White-Speck" for this species, though, since that name is unique and also a good visual descriptor for the drab brown moth with a white speck on each wing.
Armyworm a.k.a. White Speck (Mythimna unipuncta)
I'd like to remind everyone that we are approaching flu season and flu shots are already available. Don't forget to get yours before the flu gets you!
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