- Opogona sacchari
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Opogona sacchari 
Opogona sacchari adult and larval case Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Tineidae Genus: Opogona Species: O. sacchari Binomial name Opogona sacchari
Bojer, 1856Synonyms - Alucita sacchari Bojer, 1856
- Gelechia ligniferella Walker, 1875
- Laverna plumipes Butler, 1876
- Gelechia sanctaehelenae Walker, 1875
- Tinea subcervinella Walker, 1863
The Banana Moth (Opogona sacchari) is a moth of the Tineidae family. It is native to the humid tropical and subtropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa (where it is also found in Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues Island, the Seychelles and St. Helena). It was first reported from the Canary Islands in the 1920s. In the 1970s, it was introduced into Brazil and Central America, and also appeared in Europe. It has been reported from Florida since 1986.
The wingspan is 18-25 mm. Adults are bright yellowish-brown. The forewings may show longitudinal darker brown banding, and in the male a dark-brown spot towards the apex. The hindwings are paler and brighter.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including bananas, pineapples, bamboo, maize and sugarcane. In glasshouses in European countries, it has been found infesting various tropical or subtropical ornamentals, including Cactaceae, Dracaena, Strelitzia and Yucca, but also occasionally Alpinia, Begonia, Bougainvillea, Bromeliaceae, Chamaedorea and other palms, Cordyline, Dieffenbachia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, Ficus, Gloxinia, Heliconia, Hippeastrum, Maranta, Philodendron, Sansevieria and Saintpaulia, Capsicum and aubergines. The larvae burrow in the plant tissue. It is dirty-white and somewhat transparent and has a bright reddish-brown head with. It is about 21-26 mm long.
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