as well as :

The eggs are white and globular, and are laid singly usually on the undersides of the leaves. On hatching, the Caterpillar bores into and eats the flesh of the leaf. It leaves an empty wiggly path in the leaf between the top and bottom leaf surfaces. The caterpillar itself is pale green, and it grows to a length of about 0.3 cm.

(Photo: courtesy of Ingeniero Técnico Agricola)

It pupates in a cocoon in its leafy mine, and the leaf typically curls over protecting the pupa.

The adult moths are satin-cream, with a black dot on the tip and a gold bar across the middle of each fore wing. The hind wings are fringed by long hairs. The adults have a wingspan of about 0.5 cm. They fly nocturnally, and only live for a few days.

The pheromones of this species have been determined. Various studies are being made of ways to control the pest, including:

(Photo: courtesy of Bill Woods, Agriculture Western Australia)

It was introduced into Australiaby accident sometime before 1940. It is now found in every state of Australia. The details of infestationare being studied. It has now been reported to be an agricultural pest in:

Further reading :

Ian F.B. Common, Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 21.2, p. 200.

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