Publisher's Synopsis
This book has been derived from the Arthropod Name Index (ANI) database of CAB INTERNATIONAL. In its current form the ANI database provides a checklist of about 95,000 names and synonyms, plus details of the position of each species within the hierarchy of arthropod classification. To generate this volume, information for the major Lepidoptera on common names, geographical distribution, host range and status of the recorded pest or beneficial species, has been added. It includes records of about 6,000 species (plus another 6,000 synonyms) of harmful and beneficial Lepidoptera that have been recorded in scientific publications over the past 80 years and abstracted for inclusion in Review of Agricultural Entomology and its predecessors. Most species listed are pests as a result of their larvae feeding on plants, but beneficial species such as the silk moths and species of current or potential use in biological control as predators of mealybugs, scale insects and other pests and weeds, are also included. The host plants listed and information on geographical distribution nevertheless emphasise the insects' importance in crop production. The book is thus an essential reference for agricultural entomologists.
