March 2016. A few farmers are growing musk melons and watermelons in the State of Gujarat, India. They have installed light traps in their fields to trap moths. Can anyone identify the moths that have been caught.

It was identified as the salt-and-pepper moth, Utetheis lotrix. Tha larvae feed on Crotalaria. It was suggested that the farmers look for Diaphania indica – Google has lots of photos; this feed on cucurbits.

A fact sheet have been produced on this moth and can be found in the app Pacific Pests and Pathogens. Also download the fact sheet from the PestNet website. Go to Pest Fact Sheets, and click on Cucumber moth (033).