Bucculatrix gossypii
Encyclopedia
Bucculatrix gossypii is a moth
of the Bucculatricidae
family. It is found in Queensland
.
The larvae are considered a minor pest, since they feed on the foliage of Gossypium hirsutum
. They initially mine
the leaves of their host plant. Later, they eat holes in the leaves. The larvae are white with a black head, and a pair of black dots on each thoracic segment.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Bucculatricidae
Bucculatricidae
Bucculatricidae or is a family of moths. This small family has representatives in all parts of the world. Some authors place the group as a subfamily of the family Lyonetiidae....
family. It is found in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
The larvae are considered a minor pest, since they feed on the foliage of Gossypium hirsutum
Gossypium hirsutum
Gossypium hirsutum, known as Upland Cotton or Mexican Cotton, is the most widely planted species of cotton in the United States, constituting some 95% of all cotton production and is native to Central America and possibly Mexico Worldwide, the figure is about 90% of all production for this...
. They initially mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. Later, they eat holes in the leaves. The larvae are white with a black head, and a pair of black dots on each thoracic segment.