Psorosticha zizyphi (Stainton, 1859)
(one synonym: Depressaria angusta Walsingham, 1886)
 DEPRESSARIIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 9 February 2009)


(Picture: courtesy of CSIRO Entomology)

The caterpillar of this species is an international pest. It lives in a rolled leaf of its foodplant. It eats the young shoots of various trees in RUTACEAE, including:

  • Lemon ( Citrus limon ),
  • Mandarins ( Citrus reticulata ),
  • Bael ( Aegle marmelos ),
  • Wood Apple ( Feronia elephantum ),
  • Orangeberry ( Glycosmis pentaphylla ),
  • Curry Tree ( Murraya koenigii ),

    as well as

  • Jujube ( Zizyphus jujuba, RHAMNACEAE ), and
  • Madala ( Ailanthus excelsa, SIMAROUBACEAE ).

    The adult moth has white wings with two black dots on the costa of each forewing.

    The species is found across south-east Asia, including:

  • Hong Kong,
  • India, and
  • New Guinea,
    as well as
  • Queensland and
  • New South Wales.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 239.

    J.J. Davis,
    Psorosticha zizyphi (Stnt.) (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae), Journal of the Entomological Society of Queensland, Volume 4 (1965), p. 86.

    R.M. Misra, Ganga Prasad, and R.K. Misra,
    Bionomics of the Ailanthus leaf roller Psorosticha zizyphi Stainton (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) Indian Forester, Vol. 115 (1989), pp. 398-403

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