Crocidosema lantana
Encyclopedia
The Lantana Flower-Cluster Moth or Lantana Tortricid Moth (Crocidosema lantana) is a moth
of the Tortricidae
family. It is native to Mexico
and the southern United States
, but has been introduced to Hawaii
in 1902, Australia
in 1914 and the Caroline Islands
in 1948 and 1949 to aid in the control of Lantana weeds.
The larvae feed in pods of Bignonia chrysantha and in flower heads, on
berries and also bore in tender twigs of Lantana
species. It also feeds in the stem of litchi and in the terminal twigs of Tecoma stans
. Full-grown larva are about 6 mm long and fuscous colored with a slight reddish tinge.
The pupa is brown and about 5 mm long.
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 Tortricidae
Tortricidae
Tortricidae is a family of moths, commonly known as tortrix moths, in the order Lepidoptera. Tortricidae is a large family with over 9,400 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea. Many of these are economically important pests. Olethreutidae is a junior synonym...
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...
and the southern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but has been introduced to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1902, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1914 and the Caroline Islands
Caroline Islands
The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. Politically they are divided between the Federated States of Micronesia in the eastern part of the group, and Palau at the extreme western end...
in 1948 and 1949 to aid in the control of Lantana weeds.
The larvae feed in pods of Bignonia chrysantha and in flower heads, on
berries and also bore in tender twigs of Lantana
Lantana
Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both...
species. It also feeds in the stem of litchi and in the terminal twigs of Tecoma stans
Tecoma stans
Tecoma stans is a species of flowering perennial shrub in the trumpet vine family, Bignoniaceae, that is native to the Americas. Common names include Yellow Trumpetbush, Yellow Bells , Yellow Elder, Ginger-thomas, and Esperanza...
. Full-grown larva are about 6 mm long and fuscous colored with a slight reddish tinge.
The pupa is brown and about 5 mm long.