- Leek moth
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Leek moth 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Acrolepiidae Genus: Acrolepiopsis Species: A. assectella Binomial name Acrolepiopsis assectella
(Zeller, 1839)Synonyms - Roeslerstammia assectella
- Acrolepia assectella
- Digitivalva assectella
The Leek Moth or Onion Leaf Miner (Acrolepiopsis assectella) is a species of moths of family Acrolepiidae, genus Acrolepiopsis, a pest of leek crops. The species is found in Europe and Siberia. It was also recorded from Hawaii, but this was a misidentification of Acrolepiopsis sapporensis.
The wingspan is about 12 mm.
The larvae feed on Allium cepa, Allium cepa var. aggregatum, Allium fistulosum, Allium montanum and Allium porrum. They mine the leaves or bulbs of their host plant. The leaf mine is very variable, ranging from a corridor to a blotch, with or without frass and in the tubular leaves or in the stem. In the case of onions and shallots, the larvae mine down into the bulb.
Pupation takes place in an open network cocoon, either on the foodplant or close by.
Bibliography
- Carter, D. (1984). Pest Lepidoptera of Europe. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, Boston.
- Gaedike R. (1969). Contribution for the knowledge of the Acrolepiidae Fauna of the Balkan Peninsula
- J.-F. Landry, "Taxonomic review of the leek moth genus Acrolepiopsis (Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae) in North America" in Canadian entomologist.
External links
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