Agonopterix umbellana

Agonopterix umbellana
Agonopterix umbellana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Oecophoridae
Genus: Agonopterix
Species: A. umbellana
Binomial name
Agonopterix umbellana
(Fabricius, 1794)
Synonyms
  • Pyralis umbellana Fabricius, 1794
  • Depressaria lennigiella Fuchs, 1880
  • Depressaria prostratella Constant, 1884
  • Depressaria ulicetella Stainton, 1849
  • Agonopterix ulicetella (Stainton, 1849)

The Gorse Soft Shoot Moth (Agonopterix umbellana) is a moth of the Oecophoridae family. It is native to western Europe, but has been introduced to Hawaii in 1988 and New Zealand in 1990 to control Ulex europaeus.[1]

A sprig of Ulex nanus with a larval web
Larva

The wingspan is about 21 mm. Adults are on wing from August to April. It hibernates during winter and can reappear in the early spring.

The larvae feed on Ulex and Genista species within silken tubes.

References

  1. ^ Eric Coombs (May 1, 2007). "Agonopterix ulicitella". Oregon Department of Agriculture. http://el.erdc.usace.army.mil/pmis/mergedProjects/Biocontrol/html/agonopterix_ulicitella_gorse_shoot_tip_moth_.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 

External links

Stub icon This article on a moth of the Oecophoridae family is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.