Academic literature on the topic 'Fruit piercing moth'

Twining vines of the family Menispermaceae provide the food for larvae of the principal fruit-piercing moths in Australia, and in most of the Old World tropics and near tropics. These large noctuid moths are adult pests of a range of commercial fruits, and can cause crop losses of more than 50%. In Australia, the Menispermaceae are represented by 13 genera and 24 species, which predominantly occur through coastal and subcoastal regions in the east and north of the continent. Their density and diversity is greatest in the wet tropical forest areas of north-east Queensland. Around 60% of the Australian menisperm species are now known to support fruit-piercing moth larvae to various extents. While moth species-menisperm associations range from species specific (i.e. monophagy) to genera generalist (i.e. polyphagy), polyphagy appears to contribute less to a moth's status as a pest than habitat diversity. Tinospora smilacina and Stephania japonica are the two most widely occurring Australian menisperms, with forms or varieties occupying habitats from wet tropical forest to semi-desert, and these species are particularly important to the fruit-piercing moth problem. Some moth species-host plant associations appear to be dynamic, as indicated by the dietary expansion of the moth Othreis fullonia in recent centuries onto Erythrina spp. (Fabaceae) in New Guinea and the Pacific. The perceived relationship between Erythrina spp. and the Menispermaceae is through the similar alkaloids they possess (i.e. the tetracyclic Erythrina-type), which are found particularly in certain species within the tribe Menispermeae. Variation in the alkaloids associated with certain menisperm genera may explain specific moth–host plant relationships, which in turn support alternative tribal associations for some menisperm taxa to those currently recognised.

Seasonal population of the fruit-piercing mothsEudocimaspp. was monitored throughout the citrus growing seasons in a citrus orchard and in site adjacent to secondary forest from July 2007 to June 2009. The moth was detected practically throughout the year with activity lowest during the wet months (September-February) when fruits are still available and while highest during the dry months (May-June) which also coincided with the main fruiting season. The effects of annC24 horticultural mineral oil (HMO) on the citrus fruit damage caused by fruit-piecing moths was also determined. The percent fruit damage was significantly lowest (P≤0.05) in HMO-treated plots (8.4), followed by Dimethoate-treated plots (11.6) and untreated plots (22.5). However, there was no significant difference between HMO and Dimethoate treated plots indicating HMO is effective in reducing percent fruit damage.

While tear-feeding in moths on mammals is widespread, there have been no reports of this behaviour in Madagascar and none on birds. We report that a moth, Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica belonging to the Calpini, a generally fruit-feeding or blood-feeding lineage of noctuids, attacks sleeping birds in Madagascar. This moth is able to intrude its sharply tipped proboscis into a closed bird's eye. The proboscis is characterized by a specific armoury of hooks, barbs and spines similar to that in piercing calpines but dissimilar to that in other tear-feeding moths. This is the first report of exploitation of tears by Lepidoptera from the closed eyes of sleeping birds.

A report on the fruit piercing moth Eudocima cajeta (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) is authenticated for the first time from Kerala, India. In addition to the morphology of the adults, detailed notes on the male and female genitalia structures are also provided in this paper.

Dans le contexte actuel de la transition agroécologique, il convient de proposer des solutions innovantes de biocontrôle contre les insectes ravageurs économiques agricoles. Certaines espèces comme Eudocima phalonia Linné, un papillon piqueur de fruit autrefois considéré comme un ravageur occasionnel en Nouvelle-Calédonie est devenu, ces dernières années, un ravageur économique important et récurrent. Les méthodes actuellement disponibles sont inadaptées ou financièrement hors de portée de certains agriculteurs (comme pour les filets) et fait particulièrement défau pendant les épisodes de pullulation. Bien que l’utilisation de filet soit actuellement recommandée, ils ne permettent qu’un contrôle ponctuel et non durabl de cette espèce. Parmi les solutions de demain, l’identification de molécules odorantes telles que les kairomones qui déclenchent un comportement d’attraction chez un insecte cible, donne la perspective d’utiliser ces molécules en tant que pièges olfactifs. C’est le principe de l’Écologie Chimique. Après avoir réalisé un état de l’art complet d’E. phalonia (ainsi que le cortège secondaire qui l’accompagne), une méthode d’élevage a été mise au point pour s’affranchir de la saisonnalité de l’espèce et pour actualiser la biologie du ravageur. Il a aussi permis d’évaluer la réponse antennaire et le comportement du papillon en laboratoire en fonction de plusieurs odeurs : (i) l’odeur capturée in situ pour neuf fruits, (ii) l’odeur de cinquante composé olfactifs testés individuellement selon deux concentrations et (iii) l’odeur de 84 formulations comprenant plusieurs de ces composés. Les résultats ont amené à sélectionner cinq solutions olfactives élaborées en laboratoire pour des tests en condition semi-contrôlées et en plein champ. Une solution « olfacticide » laisse apparaître des perspectives d’utilisation pour la mise en place d’une stratégie de lutte pour laquelle ces travaux doivent être poursuivi et approfondis
In the current context of the agro-ecological transition, innovative biocontrol solutions against agricultural economic insect pests should be proposed. Some species such as Eudocima phalonia Linnaeus, a fruit piercing moth considered an occasional pest in New Caledonia, has become, in th last decades, a currently important and recurrent economic pest. Available methods are inadequate or financially out of reach of some farmers (such as nets) and are particularly lacking during outbreaks. Although the use of nets is currently recommended but they only allow for timely and unsustainable control of this species. Among the future solutions, the identification of odorous molecules such as kairomones that trigger an attractive behavior in a target insect, gives the prospect of using these molecules as olfactory trap. This is the principle of Chemical Ecology. After a complete review of the pe status of E. phalonia (as well as the secondary moths), a rearing method was developed in order to avoid the seasonality of the species and to update the biology of the pest. Then, the antennal response and the moth behaviour were both evaluated in the laboratory and based on several odours: (i) the odou captured in situ for nine fruits, (ii) the odour of fifty olfactory compounds individually tested at two concentrations, and (iii) the odour of 84 formulation consisting of several compounds. The results led to the selection of five olfactory solutions developed in the laboratory for tests in semi-controlled conditions and in open fields. One “olfacticide” solution allows a possible use to implement a biocontrol strategy, but the results need to be examined mor deeply

The prevalence of monoculture and landscape simplification is correlated with diminished biodiversity and increased presence of harmful pest species in crop environments. Lepidoptera is the largest clade of herbivorous insects, with many agriculturally significant species. The pest status of insects in agricultural settings is human-defined based on behaviors that may negatively impact the yield of susceptible crops. As such, both the insect behavior and the affected crop play a part in determining pest status. One helpful means of understanding pest status involves using pest injury guilds, which distinguish different pest groups based on similar kinds of injury to comparable plant tissues. Pest injury guilds defined in the literature are reviewed and then applied to agriculturally-significant Lepidoptera. Specialized Lepidoptera behaviors are reviewed within their respective injury guilds, and the systematics, ecology, and control options for fruit-piercing moths are discussed within the context of pest Lepidoptera behaviors. To address the need for distribution information for economically relevant Lepidoptera, the first annotated checklist of pest Lepidoptera is also provided for the United States and Canada. This checklist includes 80 agriculturally significant Lepidoptera species and complexes, and incorporates notes on distribution, species delimitation, natural history, and establishment.

Fruit-piercing moths in the genus Eudocima Billberg, 1820 have significant pest status as adults rather than as larvae, and directly injure fruits using a specially-adapted proboscis. There are at least 48 Eudocima species which are found in the world’s tropics, but confusion persists in the classification of this genus and there are several suspected complexes. Additionally, the area of origin for this group is uncertain, although the Oriental region has been postulated. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Eudocima is conducted using 82 morphological characters, which are each described and figured, and analyzed using parsimony. Results suggest that Eudocima is not monophyletic. Strongly-resolved relationships were recovered, although these did not correspond with previous generic concepts. The Australian region is recovered as the most parsimonious area of origin for Eudocima, and patterns of dispersal, particularly between the Oriental and Australian regions along the Indo-Australian Archipelago, are discussed.

The Eudocima phalonia-complex is distributed throughout the Old World and has been the subject of increasing interest and research due to its economic impact in the tropics and status as a potential invasive species. The recent description of closely-related sister species, as well as morphological variation documented within E. phalonia itself, suggests possible speciation occurring within E. phalonia populations across its wide geographic range. To test species boundaries for this taxon, a molecular phylogeny is constructed using anchored hybrid enrichment and a next-generation sequencing approach. Sampling for this phylogeny was informed using a global range map for E. phalonia, which was developed using georeferenced specimen data from natural history collections. Biogeographic analyses are also conducted to investigate the area of origin and dispersal patterns of E. phalonia, and to examine possible speciation modes and gene flow. Georeferenced range information is also utilized along with environmental variables in constructing a correlative environmental niche model using MaxEnt, which is used to evaluate a previous mini risk assessment for environmental suitability in the continental United States for E. phalonia establishment. Results suggest that E. phalonia is monophyletic, with gene flow still occurring between populations. The area of origin for E. phalonia is postulated to be the Oriental region, although further investigation is needed. Range predictions for E. phalonia from environmental modelling were performed for both the Old World, which concurred well with occurrence data, and for the New World. Assessment of environmental suitability for E. phalonia in the continental United States suggests areas in Florida and along the Gulf Coast are most favorable for establishment.