Prays oleae
| Prays oleae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Yponomeutidae |
| Genus: | Prays |
| Species: | P. oleae |
| Binomial name | |
| Prays oleae Bernard, 1788 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Olive Moth (Prays oleae) is a moth of the Yponomeutidae family. It is found in Southern Europe (the Mediterranean Region) and North Africa.
The wingspan is 11–15 mm.
The larvae are a pest on Olea europaea. Other recorded foodplants include Phillyrea, Jasmine and Ligustrum. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine initially consists of an upper-surface, short, narrow corridor. Later, in early spring, it may abandon this mine and create an irregular full depth blotch elsewhere on the leaf, or it may continue the corridor into a blotch. Most frass is ejected through a hole in the mine. Part of this frass is captured in spinning at the leaf underside.[1]
Gallery
-
Leafmines by Prays oleae larvae
-
Larva
-
Young larva
-
Older larva
-
Olive leaves mined by the young larva (2b, 2b*); olive shoot eaten by the mature larva (2b**)