- Ectomyelois ceratoniae
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Locust Bean Moth Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Pyralidae Tribe: Phycitini Genus: Ectomyelois Species: E. ceratoniae Binomial name Ectomyelois ceratoniae
(Zeller, 1839)Synonyms Numerous, see text
The Locust Bean Moth (Ectomyelois ceratoniae), more ambiguously known as "carob moth", is a moth of the Pyralidae family. It has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution.
Adults have forewings with a pale brown pattern, and plain white hindwings. The female moths find suitable fruit or nuts on which to lay their eggs using volatile substances emitted by fungus which is infecting the material.
The larvae are translucent white, with the internal organs visible from the outside. They feed on the seeds and pods of a wide range of plants, including Punica granatum, Citrus fruit, Pistacia vera, Juglans regia, Prunus dulcis, Macadamia integrifolia, Acacia farnesiana, Caesalpinia sappan, Cassia bicapsularis, Ricinus, Erythrina monosperma, Haematoxylum campechianum, Prosopis juliflora, Samanea saman, Phoenix dactylifera and Ceratonia siliqua. It is a considerable agricultural pest, recognized as the most economically damaging pest of the date industry in California. In many regions around the world, it also damages many other high value nut and fruit commodities such as almonds, pistachios, macadamias, as well as pomegranates, stone and pome fruits.
The world’s sole known commercial source of carob moth pheromone mimic is from the californian company ISCA Technologies[1]. This pheromone lure is formulated to constantly emit the optimal level of pheromone mimic to attract carob moth males to monitoring glue traps. The company also has a formulation called SPLAT EC that can be used to control carob moths through mating disruption.
Synonyms
The species is also known under the following obsolete names:
- Apomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller, 1839)
- Euzophera zellerella Sorhagen, 1881
- Heterographis rivulalis Warren & Rothschild, 1905
- Hypsipyla psarella Hampson, 1903
- Laodamia durandi Lucas, 1950
- Myelois ceratoniae Zeller, 1839
- Myelois oporedestella Dyar, 1911
- Myelois phoenicis Durrant, 1915
- Phycis ceratoniella Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1839
- Phycita dentilinella Hampson, 1896
- Trachonitis pryerella Vaughan, 1870
Ectomyelois tuerckheimiella is a doubtfully distinct taxon; it may be a cryptic species or yet another synonym.
References
External links
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