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Larva
The larvae are dirty-white and somewhat transparent (so that the intestines can be seen). They have a bright reddish-brown head with one lateral ocellus at each side and clearly visible, brownish thoracic and abdominal plates. They are 21-26 mm long with a diameter of 3 mm. The presence of older larvae can be detected by characteristic masses of bore-meal and frass at the openings of boreholes.
Pupa
The pupae are brown, less than 10 mm long, and are formed in a cocoon, spun at the end of a mine, measuring 15 mm. As maturation approaches, the pupae work themselves partially out of the tissue to allow emergence of the adult. Two bent hooks, characteristic of the species, show at the end of the abdomen on the abandoned protruding pupal skin.
Adult
The adult is nocturnal, 11 mm long with a wingspan of 18-25 mm. It is 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 (Süss, 1974;D'Aguilar and Martinez, 1982). At rest, the long antennae point forwards.

Recoginition


On ornamental plants, O. sacchari is difficult to intercept at importation inspections, additional post-entry inspections are recommended.
On Strelitzia species, the larvae fed on the collar and roots of the plants (Porcelli and Parenzan, 1993).

Related invasive species

  • Opogona sacchari

Related Farm Practice

  • Rest
  • Soil
  • Work
  • Hosts
Impact

O. sacchari was originally described from specimens from Mauritius. It is a tineid moth with typically Old World tropical distribution, thus populations could establish in the tropical belt and in areas with a mediterranean climate, also in glasshouses throughout the world. O. sacchari attacks a number of ornamental plants and can be transported on different plant parts. Although not listed on alert lists such as IUCN and ISSG, this species has the potential to be invasive outside its natural distribution area through the transport of ornamental plants and/or because of global warming.

Has Cabi datasheet ID
37683
Symptons


The early stages of larval tunnelling in woody or fleshy stems are practically undetectable. At a later stage, fleshy plants (cacti) may be completely hollowed out. In woody plants such as Dracaena and Yucca the larvae live on dead and living portions of the cortex and pith, and infested tissues may feel soft. Leaves wilt because the caterpillars destroy the xylem, and, in an advanced stage, leaves may fall and the plant may collapse. In Chamaedorea palms, the larvae typically feed at the base of the plant where the aerial roots enter the soil (Heppner et al., 1987).

Hosts

O. sacchari is found mainly in the tropics on bananas, pineapples, bamboo, maize and sugarcane in the field and on various stored tubers. In glasshouses in European countries, it has been found infesting various tropical or subtropical ornamentals, including mainly 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, and also Capsicum and aubergines. In import inspections, it is mainly Dracaena and Yucca which have been found to be infested.
The larvae are scavengers of dried/harvested vegetable material. This species may attack stored tubers (Gibbs, 1991) and feed occasionally on living plant material when adjacent to dried vegetable matter.

Oss tagged
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