False codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta

The false codling moth attacks the fruits, leaves and seeds of a variety of host plants, including pineapple, tea, peach, pepper, coffee, cotton, maize and pomegranate. It occurs in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. At night female moths lay approx. 100 to 400 eggs on the bolls (rounded seeds of cotton plants) or fruits of their host plants. Once hatched the larvae bore into their host. On citrus they mine beneath the surface and bore into the fruits to cause premature ripening. This in turn causes significant losses in crop yield. It is common to loose 10 to 20% of citrus in South Africa, where there are five generations per year. Adults should be monitored using traps and pheromones in order to time treatments as part of an effective integrated pest management programme.
False codling moth
Biology

 

Nature of Damage

 

Monitoring