The Large Mango Tip Borer, scientifically known as Penicillaria jocosatrix, is a significant pest affecting mango trees in northern Australia, including Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Adult Moth: Russet brown forewings with light-colored markings; hindwings are white with brown margins; wingspan up to 25 mm.
Eggs: Circular and yellowish in color.
Larvae: Yellow-green with pink spots, turning pinkish-purple as they mature; up to 25 mm in length.
Feeding Behavior: Larvae primarily feed at night on young, tender shoots before they change from purple to green.
Damage Symptoms:
Wilting and dieback of young shoots.
Reduced growth and fruiting potential.
In severe cases, tree death due to extensive damage.
Economic Consequences: Infestations can lead to significant yield losses, especially in young or stressed trees.
Regular Monitoring: Inspect trees during the growing season, particularly after new flushes of growth.
Pruning: Remove and destroy infested shoots to reduce pest populations.
Sanitation: Clear fallen leaves and debris that may harbor larvae.
Natural Predators: Encourage beneficial insects that prey on larvae and adult moths.
Trapping: Use pheromone traps to monitor and reduce adult moth populations.
Insecticides: Apply insecticides labeled for use against Penicillaria jocosatrix during the early stages of infestation.
Timing: Treat during early morning or late evening when moths are less active to reduce impact on non-target species.
Resistance Management: Rotate chemical classes to prevent resistance development.
Penicillaria jocosatrix, the mango shoot borer, is a moth of the family Euteliidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found from southeast Asia to the Pacific. Records include Borneo, Guam, Hawaii, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and in Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.[1]
The wingspan is about 20–30 mm. It is dark purplish red brown. Forewings with traces of sub-basal line, an indistinct antemedial line angled on median nervure and a postmedial line angled beyond cell with chocolate below the angle. It joint by a chocolate patch from costa inside the indistinct sub-marginal angled white line. There is a pale streak and slight fold from centre of cell to outer margin. Hindwings white, with dark cell spot. Outer are purplish brown. Underside with prominent black cell spot.[2]
Eggs are pale blue green. Larva green with sub-lateral dark stria. Somites with small purple spots and a sub-dorsal series of larger spots. There are few hairs arise from spiracles. Larva completes five instars to become a pupa. Pupa dark brown, much round with no distinguishing lumps or lobes.[3]
Fruits, inflorescences and leaves are attacked by the caterpillars. It is a minor pest[4] attacking many cultivated crops. Caterpillars harm the plant parts by external feeding, and few borings.[3]
Biological control is the most successful method. Parasitoids like Trichogramma platneri, Aleiodes circumscriptus, Blepharella lateralis and Euplectrus parvulus are used. Chemicals are also used in cultivations.[3]
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Penicillaria jocosatrix", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Content may have been omitted from the original, but no content has been changed or extended.
| Penicillaria jocosatrix |
The Large Mango Tip Borer, scientifically known as Penicillaria jocosatrix, is a significant pest affecting mango trees in northern Australia, including Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Adult Moth: Russet brown forewings with light-colored markings; hindwings are white with brown margins; wingspan up to 25 mm.
Eggs: Circular and yellowish in color.
Larvae: Yellow-green with pink spots, turning pinkish-purple as they mature; up to 25 mm in length.
Feeding Behavior: Larvae primarily feed at night on young, tender shoots before they change from purple to green.
Damage Symptoms:
Wilting and dieback of young shoots.
Reduced growth and fruiting potential.
In severe cases, tree death due to extensive damage.
Economic Consequences: Infestations can lead to significant yield losses, especially in young or stressed trees.
Regular Monitoring: Inspect trees during the growing season, particularly after new flushes of growth.
Pruning: Remove and destroy infested shoots to reduce pest populations.
Sanitation: Clear fallen leaves and debris that may harbor larvae.
Natural Predators: Encourage beneficial insects that prey on larvae and adult moths.
Trapping: Use pheromone traps to monitor and reduce adult moth populations.
Insecticides: Apply insecticides labeled for use against Penicillaria jocosatrix during the early stages of infestation.
Timing: Treat during early morning or late evening when moths are less active to reduce impact on non-target species.
Resistance Management: Rotate chemical classes to prevent resistance development.
Penicillaria jocosatrix, the mango shoot borer, is a moth of the family Euteliidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found from southeast Asia to the Pacific. Records include Borneo, Guam, Hawaii, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and in Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.[1]
The wingspan is about 20–30 mm. It is dark purplish red brown. Forewings with traces of sub-basal line, an indistinct antemedial line angled on median nervure and a postmedial line angled beyond cell with chocolate below the angle. It joint by a chocolate patch from costa inside the indistinct sub-marginal angled white line. There is a pale streak and slight fold from centre of cell to outer margin. Hindwings white, with dark cell spot. Outer are purplish brown. Underside with prominent black cell spot.[2]
Eggs are pale blue green. Larva green with sub-lateral dark stria. Somites with small purple spots and a sub-dorsal series of larger spots. There are few hairs arise from spiracles. Larva completes five instars to become a pupa. Pupa dark brown, much round with no distinguishing lumps or lobes.[3]
Fruits, inflorescences and leaves are attacked by the caterpillars. It is a minor pest[4] attacking many cultivated crops. Caterpillars harm the plant parts by external feeding, and few borings.[3]
Biological control is the most successful method. Parasitoids like Trichogramma platneri, Aleiodes circumscriptus, Blepharella lateralis and Euplectrus parvulus are used. Chemicals are also used in cultivations.[3]
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Penicillaria jocosatrix", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Content may have been omitted from the original, but no content has been changed or extended.
