Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick, 1913) Species
Last modified: Jan. 9, 2024, 4:46 p.m.
The African codling moth is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Tortricidae > Subfamily: Olethreutinae > Tribus: Grapholitini > Genus: Thaumatotibia > Species: Thaumatotibia leucotreta
- Vernacular names
- Afrikaanse fruitmot (NL), False codling moth (EN)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Prins W. 2016. Catalogus van de Belgische Lepidoptera – Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Belgium. — Entomobrochure 9: 1–279. On page 119. view page
- Status
-
Exotic In Belgium since July 2016.
A species imported with fruit from Africa.
For your information, to the best of our knowledge, the first 10 Belgian observations are listed here:
1) 1 ex. on 13.vii.2016 at Gentbrugge (OV), leg. D. De Groote.
2) 1 ex. on 24.vii.2019 at Mouscron (HA), leg. C. Gruwier.
3) 1 ex. on 11.viii.2020 at Hoboken (AN), leg. R. Hendrickx & J. Pottier.
Distribution
Imago
Wingspan 16–20 mm. The adult moths are sexually dimorphic, females being larger than males. Males have a diagnostic reduced hindwing with a small circular patch of shiny white scales containing a blackish mark. Forewing pattern with a small white dot near the end of the discal cell, a patch of raised, usually rust or orange colored scales near the middle of the wing, a distinct band of dark scales along the termen and a semicircular band of dark scales in the middle of the costa.
Museum specimens
No pictures yet!Specimens in nature
Egg
Females deposit eggs singly or in small groups on the surface.
Caterpillar
The larvae complete five instars. The young larvae are yellowish white with dark spots, last instar larva is about 15 mm long and has a bright red or pink color.
Bionomics
The larvae feed inside the fruits, nuts, pods, seeds, berries, flower buds, cotton seeds, corn cobs etc...They pupate in a silk cocoon hidden in the ground, under leaf litter, in bark crevices or even simply attached to any artificial structure or surface in greenhouses, storage facilities and packing plants.
Flight periods
It is a multivoltine species, which means that it has several generations per year up to 10 depending on temperature, humidity and food availability. Abroad the species is not known to have a diapause, and development is continuous with adults present year-round.
Observed on
- Substrates:
- Polyphagous
The species is highly polyphagous and have been recorded feeding on more than 50 species of plants in over 30 families. It mainly infecting fruits and includes both cultivated and wild plants like Citrus paradisi, Citrus reticulata, Citrus sinensis, Gossypium hirsutum, Zea mays, Persea americana, Psidium guajava Prunus persica, Mangifera indica Punica granatum, Rosa, Ricinus communis, Camellia japonica, Capsicum annuum, Phaseolus vulgaris, Solanum melongena, Vitis vinifera, Quercus robur, Olea europaea etc...
