Opogona sacchari

Opogona sacchari, the banana moth, is a moth of the family Tineidae. The species was first described by Wenceslas Bojer in 1856. It is native to the humid tropical and subtropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, where it is also found in Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues Island, the Seychelles and St. Helena.[1] It was first reported from the Canary Islands in the 1920s.[2] In the 1970s, it was introduced into Brazil[2] and Central America,[3] and also appeared in Europe. It has been reported from Florida since 1986.

"Banana moth" redirects here. For the other moth with this name, see Antichloris viridis.

Opogona sacchari
Adult and larval case
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Tineidae
Genus:
Opogona
Species:
O. sacchari
Binomial name
Opogona sacchari
(Bojer, 1856)
Synonyms
  • Alucita sacchari Bojer, 1856
  • Gelechia ligniferella Walker, 1875
  • Laverna plumipes Butler, 1876
  • Gelechia sanctaehelenae Walker, 1875
  • Tinea subcervinella Walker, 1863

The wingspan is 18–25 mm. Adults are bright yellowish brown. The forewings may show longitudinal darker brown banding, and in the male a dark-brown spot towards the apex. The hindwings are paler and brighter.

The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including bananas, pineapples, bamboo, maize and sugarcane. In glasshouses in European countries, it has been found infesting various tropical or subtropical ornamentals, including Cactaceae, Dracaena, Strelitzia and Yucca, but also occasionally Alpinia, Begonia, Bougainvillea, Bromeliaceae, Chamaedorea and other palms, Cordyline, Dieffenbachia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Ficus, Gloxinia, Heliconia, Hippeastrum, Maranta, Philodendron, Sansevieria and Saintpaulia, Capsicum and aubergines. The larvae burrow in the plant tissue. It is dirty white and somewhat transparent and has a bright reddish-brown head with. It is about 21–26 mm long.

The pupae are shorter than 10 mm, brown and formed in a cocoon of 15 mm.

At 15 °C it has a life cycle of about three months: eggs hatch in 12 days, larval development 50 days, pupal stage 20 days and adult life 6 days.

References
  1. "Opogona sacchari (banana moth)". Invasive Species Compendium. CABI. 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  2. Rautapää, Jorma. "Opogona sacchari". The Danish Agricultural Agency. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  3. Davis, DR; Pena, JE (1990). "Biology and Morphology of Banana moth Opogona sacchari (Bojer), and its introduction into Florida (Lepidoptera: Tineidae)". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 92 (4): 593–618.


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