Senecio species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of a number of Lepidoptera species including: Arctiidae Amerila leucoptera – Afrotropical Amerila pannosa – Afrotropical Arctia caja, garden tiger – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in the Nearctic Diacrisia scita – recorded on Senecio bupleuroides in Southern Africa Dysschema picta – recorded on Senecio brasiliensis in Brazil Dysschema sacrifica – recorded on Senecio brasiliensis in Brazil Estigmene acrea – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in the Nearctic Eurata helena – recorded on Senecio brasiliensis in Brazil Eurata strigiventris – recorded on Senecio brasiliensis in Brazil Galtara doriae – Afrotropical Galtara extensa – Madagascar - also introduced to Hawaii for biological control of Senecio madagascariensis Grammia williamsii – Nearctic Hypercompe indecisa – recorded on Senecio crassiflorus in Brazil Hypercompe orsa – recorded on Senecio brasiliensis in Brazil Metarctia crassa – recorded on Senecio pterophorus in South Africa Metarctia lateritia – East Africa Nyctemera adversata – Oriental Nyctemera amicus, senecio or magpie moth – Australasia Nyctemera annulata – recorded on Senecio glomeratus in New Zealand Nyctemera apicalis – Afrotropical Nyctemera calcicola – Oriental Nyctemera itakina – Afrotropical Nyctemera itokina – East Africa Nyctemera lacticinia – Oriental; on Senecio edgworthii in India Nyctemera leuconoe – recorded on Senecio madagascariensis in southern Africa; Senecio syringifolius in the Afrotropics Nyctemera restrictum – Afrotropical Paracles fusca – recorded on Senecio brasiliensis in Brazil Platyprepia virginalis – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in the United States Rhodogastria amasis – Afrotropical; Southern Africa Rhodogastria similis – recorded on Senecio pterophorus in South Africa Saenura flava – Afrotropical; southern Africa Spilosoma glatignyi – Australia Spilosoma lutea, buff ermine – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in Europe Tyria jacobaeae, cinnabar moth – recorded on Senecio jacobaea, Senecio vulgaris and Senecio congestus (cosmopolitan) Bucculatricidae Bucculatrix eurotiella – Nearctic Bucculatrix seneciensis – Nearctic Choreutidae Asterivora combinatana – recorded on Senecio bellidioides in Australasia Caloreas augustella – recorded on Senecio triangularis in the Nearctic Crambidae Scoparia pyralella – UK (unconfirmed) Geometridae Eupithecia absinthiata, wormwood pug – Holarctic; Senecio jacobaea in the British Isles Eupithecia bivittata – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in the United States Eupithecia coagulata – Nearctic; Senecio jacobaea in the US Eupithecia miserulata, common eupithecia – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in Nearctic Eupithecia subumbrata, shaded pug – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in the British Isles Eupithecia virgaureata, golden-rod pug – recorded on Senecio jacobaea in the British Isles Microsema gladiaria – recorded on Senecio