Straw dot

Grasslands and Prairies, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas

Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas, Urban and Suburban Areas

For adult straw dot, sweet baits or light traps can be used as they are attracted to sugars and light. For caterpillars, luring with host plant leaves may be effective.

The eggs of straw dot are typically found on the undersides of leaves of their host plants, often in more shaded areas to avoid predation and extreme weather. Caterpillars, being ground feeders, are found among leaf litter or on low-growing plants where they feed and hide during the day, often observed during the night when they are active. Pupae generally reside underground or in the soil's surface layer, camouflaged within a cocoon. To observe these stages, one would search the appropriate plant species for eggs, inspect the ground and leaf litter at night for caterpillars, and carefully dig near host plants to find pupae. Adult straw dot are nocturnal and attracted to light, so they are best searched for at night using a light trap.

To find adult straw dot, it's best to search during nighttime as they are nocturnal. Caterpillars might be found throughout the day, but morning and late afternoon are prime times when they are most active.

Calm and warm nights with minimal moonlight are ideal for catching adult straw dot. For larvae, warm and moist conditions are usually suitable, as they require these conditions for easier movement and feeding.