Heliothis peltigera (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Host plants:
The larvae are polyphagous. I found caterpillars in Greece on Achillea and in the Canaries on Pelargonium, Nicotiana, Lotus and various Asteraceae such as Calendula or Dittrichia viscosa. Apparently preferred are Solanaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae.

Habitat:
Heliothis peltigera inhabits warm-dry open land of all kinds.

Life cycle:
Heliothis peltigera has several generations during the year. I found caterpillars for example in the Canaries quite common in winter and spring. The young larvae usually live in a webbed shelter mostly in the tip of the shoots, whereas the older ones can be observed resting openly on the plants.

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Remarks:
In Europe, Heliothis peltigera is native only in the Mediterranean. But it migrates regularly in summer north to about Southern Scandinavia. The native distribution covers the subtropical and Mediterranean regions of the Old World (Africa, Southern Europe, Asia).