Cryptoblabes gnidiella
Honeydew Moth | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Pyralidae |
Tribe: | Cryptoblabini |
Genus: | Cryptoblabes |
Species: | C. gnidiella |
Binomial name | |
Cryptoblabes gnidiella (Millière, 1867) | |
Synonyms | |
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The Honeydew Moth or Christmasberry Moth (Cryptoblabes gnidiella) is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is natively found around the Mediterranean Sea and is an introduced species in South America and Middle America.
The wingspan is 11–20 mm. The caterpillars feed on orange fruit and other types of citrus fruit, apple and maize. The adults feed on honeydew, and their association with the "christmasberry" (Brazilian Pepper, Schinus terebinthifolius) seems to be mainly for that reason.