''Klugeana'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
s of the family
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...
.
The South African species Klugeana philoxalis has been proposed as being of interest as a possible biocontrol agent for dealing with invasive
Oxalis pes-caprae
''Oxalis pes-caprae'' (African wood-sorrel, Bermuda buttercup, Bermuda sorrel, buttercup oxalis, Cape sorrel, English weed, goat's-foot, sourgrass, soursob or soursop; ) is a species of heterostyly, tristylous yellow-flowering plant in the wood ...
in countries where it is a problem. Like many Noctuids, Klugeana philoxalis has larvae that are nocturnal feeders that hide by day. If suddenly illuminated when feeding in the dark, they drop to the ground.
[Kluge, R. L.; Claassens, M.; Klugeana philoxalis Geertsema (Noctuidae: Cuculliinae), the first potential biological control agent for the weed Oxalis pes-caprae L.; Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 1990 Vol. 53 No. 2 pp. 191-198]
References
Natural History Museum Lepidoptera genus database
Cuculliinae
{{Cuculliinae-stub