Panaphelix asteliana
Encyclopedia
Panaphelix asteliana is a moth
of the Tortricidae
family. It is endemic to Oahu
.
The larvae feed on Astelia veratroides. The larva is greenish with some fuscous marks on the head and the cervical shield. It feeds beneath a web on apical parts of the leaf of the host plant. The leaf is partially eaten on a transverse line on the lower side. The apical portion then bends down and this is the part on which the larva feeds, eating off the under surface and leaving the extreme apical portion rolled and spun together for a retreat which eventually becomes filled with frass
.
The pupa is brown and about 15 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 endemic to Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
.
The larvae feed on Astelia veratroides. The larva is greenish with some fuscous marks on the head and the cervical shield. It feeds beneath a web on apical parts of the leaf of the host plant. The leaf is partially eaten on a transverse line on the lower side. The apical portion then bends down and this is the part on which the larva feeds, eating off the under surface and leaving the extreme apical portion rolled and spun together for a retreat which eventually becomes filled with frass
Frass
Frass is the fine powdery material phytophagous insects pass as waste after digesting plant parts. It causes plants to excrete chitinase due to high chitin levels, it is a natural bloom stimulant, and has high nutrient levels. Frass is known to have abundant amoeba, beneficial bacteria, and fungi...
.
The pupa is brown and about 15 mm long.