Bucculatrix parthenica
Encyclopedia
Bucculatrix parthenica is a moth
of the Bucculatricidae
family. It is native to Mexico
, but was released in Queensland
as a biological control agent for Parthenium Weed.
The wingspan
is about 5 mm. Adults are white and brown.
The larvae feed on Parthenium hysterophorus
. First and second instar larvae mine
the leaf of their host plant, feeding on it from the inside and leaving the upper and lower skin intact. Later instars feed externally on the leaves. Pupation takes place in a white cocoon under a leaf or stem.
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 native to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, but was released 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...
as a biological control agent for Parthenium Weed.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is about 5 mm. Adults are white and brown.
The larvae feed on Parthenium hysterophorus
Parthenium hysterophorus
Parthenium hysterophorus is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, Asteraceae, that is native to the American tropics. Common names include Santa Maria Feverfew and Whitetop Weed. It is a common invasive species in India, Australia, and parts of Africa. P. hysterophorus invades all...
. First and second instar larvae 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 leaf of their host plant, feeding on it from the inside and leaving the upper and lower skin intact. Later instars feed externally on the leaves. Pupation takes place in a white cocoon under a leaf or stem.