Leucoptera spartifoliella

Leucoptera spartifoliella

Taxobox
name = "Leucoptera spartifoliella"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
familia = Lyonetiidae
genus = "Leucoptera"
species = "L. spartifoliella"
binomial = "Leucoptera spartifoliella"
binomial_authority = Hübner, 1813

"Leucoptera spartifoliella" is a species of moth in family Lyonetiidae known by the common name Scotch broom twig miner. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed known as Scotch broom ("Cytisus scoparius").

The adult is a tiny white moth about four millimeters long. It lays eggs one at a time on the stem of Scotch broom, its host plant. The larva burrows throughout the epidermis of the stem for nearly a year before it pupates, causing damage to the plant.

The moth was introduced to California for the purpose of controlling Scotch broom in 1960. It is now established in parts of the western United States. It was introduced to Australia in 1990. It may or may not be a worthwhile biocontrol agent; while the insect does do considerable damage to the plants, they can often recover. Much of the plant deaths occur when insect damage makes the plant susceptible to disease. Research is now focused on other agents of biocontrol for Scotch broom.

External links

* [http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~don/larvae/lyon/spartif.html Profile and photo]

References

*Coombs, E. M., et al., Eds. (2004). "Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the United States". Corvallis: Oregon State University Press, 166.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Langhorn-Blattminiermotten — Leucoptera spartifoliella Systematik Klasse: Insekten (Insecta) Unterklasse …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lyonetiidae —   Lyonetiidae …   Wikipedia Español

  • Lyonetiidae — Langhorn Blattminiermotten Systematik Klasse: Insekten (Insecta) Unterklasse: Fluginsekten (Pterygota) Überordnung: Neuflügler (Neoptera) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Schlangenminiermotten — Langhorn Blattminiermotten Systematik Klasse: Insekten (Insecta) Unterklasse: Fluginsekten (Pterygota) Überordnung: Neuflügler (Neoptera) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Cytisus scoparius — Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked) …   Wikipedia

  • Cytisus scoparius — Genêt à balais Genêt à balais …   Wikipédia en Français

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  • Genêt À Balais — Genêt à balais …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Genêt à balais — Cytisus scoparius …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sarothamne — Genêt à balais Genêt à balais …   Wikipédia en Français

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