Thaumatotibia leucotreta (false codling moth)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Summary of Invasiveness
- Taxonomic Tree
- Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Description
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- Hosts/Species Affected
- Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
- Growth Stages
- Symptoms
- List of Symptoms/Signs
- Biology and Ecology
- Natural enemies
- Plant Trade
- Impact
- Detection and Inspection
- Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
- Prevention and Control
- References
- Links to Websites
- Distribution Maps
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Generate reportPictures
Top of page| Picture | Title | Caption | Copyright |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | Thaumatotibia leucotreta (false codling moth); adult at rest, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK. August 2016. | ©Ben Sale/via wikipedia - CC BY 2.0 | |
| Adult | Thaumatotibia leucotreta (false codling moth) adult. Museum set specimen. | ©Georg Goergen/IITA Insect Museum, Cotonou, Benin |
Identity
Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Thaumatotibia leucotreta Meyrick
Preferred Common Name
- false codling moth
Other Scientific Names
- Cryptophlebia leucotreta Meyrick
- Cryptophlebia roerigii Zacher
- Olethreutes leucotreta Meyrick
- Thaumatotibia roerigii Zacher
International Common Names
- English: citrus codling moth; orange codling moth; orange moth
- Spanish: palomilla de la naranja
- French: fausse carpocapse; teigne de l'oranger
EPPO code
- ARGPLE (Cryptophlebia leucotreta)
Summary of Invasiveness
Top of page T. leucotreta has long been known as a pest in tropical Africa but it has failed to invade other areas as yet.Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Metazoa
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Uniramia
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Tortricidae
- Genus: Thaumatotibia
- Species: Thaumatotibia leucotreta
Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Top of page This species was for a long time known as Cryptophlebia leucotreta Meyrick, but Komai (1999) transferred the species to the genus Thaumatotibia.Description
Top of pageDescribed in detail by Couilloud (1988), Williams (1953) and Komai (1999).
Eggs
Flattened, oval, diameter 0.9 mm.
Larva
When young yellowish-white with dark spots. The full grown larva is about 15 mm long, bright red or pink, head prothoracic plate and pinacula yellow-brown.
Pupa
Contained within a tough silken cocoon amongst debris or in the soil.
Adult
Strongly dimorphic: Male wingspan 15-16 mm, female 19-20 mm. In both sexes the forewing pattern consists of a mixture of grey, brown, black and orange-brown markings, the most conspicuous being a triangular marking in the outer part of the wing, against the hind margin, and a crescent shaped marking above it. The male is distinguished from all other species by its specialised hindwing, which is slightly reduced and has a circular pocket of fine hair-like black scales overlaid with broad weakly shining whitish scales in the anal angle. It also has a heavily tufted hind tibia.
Timm et al. (2007, 2008) provide morphological and molecular keys to aid in the identification of economically important Tortricidae in South Africa, including T. leucotreta.
Distribution
Top of pageT. leucotreta is occasionally seen in Europe where it has been imported with produce from Africa (Bradley et al., 1979; Karvonen, 1983).
Following the detection of a single adult male in a trap in Ventura County, California, USA, in 2008 (Gilligan et al., 2011), APHIS and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) conducted extensive surveys for T. leucotreta throughout the state. There have been no further detections of the pest in California, and the 2008 detection is considered an isolated regulatory incident. T. leucotreta is listed as a quarantine pest in the USA (NAPPO, 2016).
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 23 Apr 2020Hosts/Species Affected
Top of page T. leucotreta is extremely polyphagous, there being in excess of 70 food plants recorded.Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
Top of pageGrowth Stages
Top of page Fruiting stageSymptoms
Top of page Symptoms vary according to host. On oranges there is sometimes a scar on the fruit surface, on most other crops, the habit of internal feeding leaves few symptoms.List of Symptoms/Signs
Top of page| Sign | Life Stages | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit / internal feeding | ||
| Leaves / internal feeding | ||
| Seeds / internal feeding |
Biology and Ecology
Top of page The female moth lays 100-400 eggs by night, usually singly on the bolls or fruits of the plant. On citrus the young larva mines just beneath the surface, or bores into the pith causing premature ripening of the fruit. On cotton it first mines the boll wall, but later transfers to the seeds.When full grown the larva descends to the ground on a silken thread and spins a tough silken cocoon in the soil or amongst debris. The development time for each stage varies considerably with temperature, details are given by Daiber (1980) who states that in South Africa five generations per year could be achieved by the moth. There is no diapause.
The adult is nocturnal and is attracted to light. The mating behaviour is highly developed and was investigated by Zagatti and Castel (1987), it relates to three androconial areas on the male.
Natural enemies
Top of page| Natural enemy | Type | Life stages | Specificity | References | Biological control in | Biological control on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apophua leucotretae | Parasite | Pupae | ||||
| Chelonus curvimaculatus | Parasite | Eggs/Larvae | ||||
| Granulosis virus | Pathogen | Larvae | ||||
| Trichogrammatoidea cryptophlebiae | Parasite | Eggs | South Africa | Citrus | ||
| Trichogrammatoidea fulva | Parasite | Eggs | Mauritius | Litchi chinensis | ||
| Trichogrammatoidea lutea | Parasite | Eggs | South Africa |
Plant Trade
Top of page| Plant parts liable to carry the pest in trade/transport | Pest stages | Borne internally | Borne externally | Visibility of pest or symptoms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers/Inflorescences/Cones/Calyx | larvae | Yes | Yes | Pest or symptoms usually visible to the naked eye |
| Fruits (inc. pods) | larvae | Yes | Yes | Pest or symptoms usually visible to the naked eye |
| Plant parts not known to carry the pest in trade/transport |
|---|
| Bark |
| Bulbs/Tubers/Corms/Rhizomes |
| Growing medium accompanying plants |
| Roots |
| Seedlings/Micropropagated plants |
| Stems (above ground)/Shoots/Trunks/Branches |
| Wood |
Impact
Top of page This moth is a serious pest of citrus in Southern Africa and of cotton in many parts of Africa. It also affects maize in West Africa. In South Africa, citrus crop losses of 10-20% are common (Glas, 1991). Reed (1974) described losses of between 42 and 90% in late crops of cotton in Uganda. It has also become a significant pest of macadamia in Israel (Wysoki, 1986). Blomefield (1989) reported losses of up to 28% in a late peach crop in South Africa. Begemann and Schoeman (1999) calculated citrus crop loss in South Africa specifically due to T. leucotreta was 1.6% in Navels and 0.3% in Valencias.Detection and Inspection
Top of page These will vary according to the crop affected. On oranges look for a brown patch on the skin, usually with evidence of a hole bored in the centre, sometimes with dark brown frass exuding.Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
Top of page In West Africa, T. leucotreta is often found in conjunction with the pyralid moth Mussidia nigrevenella. Differences between the larvae are given by Silvie (1990) and Moyal and Tran (1989).Prevention and Control
Top of pageDue to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.
IntroductionControl is difficult because the moth has many alternative hosts so reinfestation is likely to occur.
Cultural Control
Reed (1974) and Byaruhanga and De Lima (1977) showed that late sown crops of cotton in Uganda are worst affected, but the difference is not great. As T. leucotreta is primarily a fruit feeder, it is suggested by Glas (1991) that crops of cotton grown close to fruit trees may be less affected. In areas with a prolonged dry season the moth, which needs a continual source of food, is less likely to reach pest proportions, conversely irrigation allows populations to build up to levels which cause damage.
Biological Control
Parasitoids of T. leucotreta have been identified, and mass release of Trichogrammoidea spp. has been practised with effect (Newton and Odendaal, 1990) but is unlikely to be cost effective.
Fritsch (1988) reported on the successful use of a granulosis virus, which has been further identified by Jehle and Backhaus (1994). The use of pathogens was reviewed by Moore (2002). Jehle et al. (2003) examined the results of combining two genotypes of the virus.
Chemical Control
The larva gains some protection from insecticides by living within a fruit or boll Although insecticides have often been used in the past, they seldom control populations effectively. Chitin inhibitors (Newton, 1987) are more likely to be effective.
Pheromonal Control.
Hofmeyr and Burger (1995) describe a pheromone disperser whilst Newton et al. (1993) identify the compound. Pheromones have been much used for mating disruption of this species and constitute one of the most targeted control methods.
References
Top of pageCIE, 1976. Distribution maps of pests, No. 352. Wallingford, UK: CAB International
EPPO, 2014. PQR database. Paris, France: European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization. http://www.eppo.int/DATABASES/pqr/pqr.htm
EPPO, 2018. EPPO Global Database (available online). https://gd.eppo.int
Glas M, 1991. Tortricids in miscellaneous crops. In: van der Geest, van Luis, eds. Tortricoid Pests, Their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control. World Crop Pests: 5. UK: Elsevier
Grové, T., de Jager, K., Theledi, M. L., 2019. Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) associated with fruit of the family Myrtaceae Juss. in South Africa. Crop Protection, 116, 24-32.
IPPC, 2014. Finding of one larva and three adults of Thaumatotibia leucotreta in one fruit production greenhouse of Capsicum annuum (bell peppers). IPPC Official Pest Report, No. NLD-26/1. Rome, Italy: FAO. https://www.ippc.int/
Jehle JA, Fritsch E, Huber J, Backhaus H, 2003. Intra-specific and inter-specific recombination of tortricid-specific granuloviruses during co-infection in insect larvae. Archives of Virology, 148: 1317-1333
Komai F, 1999. A taxonomic review of the genus Grapholita and allied genera (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the Palaearctic region. Entomologica Scandinavica Supplement No. 55
Moore SD, 2002. Entomopathogens & microbial control of citrus pests in South Africa: a review. SA Fruit Journal, 1: 30-32
NAPPO, 2016. Phytosanitary Alert System: Corrected Status of 2008 Thaumatotibia leucotreta (False Codling Moth) detection in the United States. NAPPO. http://www.pestalert.org/oprDetail.cfm?oprID=681
Distribution References
CABI, Undated. CABI Compendium: Status as determined by CABI editor. Wallingford, UK: CABI
EPPO, 2020. EPPO Global database. In: EPPO Global database, Paris, France: EPPO.
IPPC, 2014. Finding of one larva and three adults of Thaumatotibia leucotreta in one fruit production greenhouse of Capsicum annuum (bell peppers). Rome, Italy: FAO. https://www.ippc.int/
NAPPO, 2016. Phytosanitary Alert System: Corrected Status of 2008 Thaumatotibia leucotreta (False Codling Moth) detection in the United States., NAPPO. http://www.pestalert.org/oprDetail.cfm?oprID=681
Links to Websites
Top of page| Website | URL | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| GISD/IASPMR: Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource and DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway | https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m93f6 | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Distribution Maps
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