| Heliothis subflexa | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Heliothis |
| Species: | H. subflexa |
| Binomial name | |
| Heliothis subflexa (Guenée, 1852) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Heliothis subflexa is a species of moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found from most of the United States, throughout the Antilles, south to Argentina.
The larvae feed exclusively on fruits of Physalis species, which are enclosed in an inflated, lantern-shaped calyx. To feed, each newly emerged caterpillar cuts a small hole in the calyx and then bores into the fruit. Once inside, the caterpillar spends the majority of its time sheltered inside of the fruit’s husk.