Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller, 1873)
(one synonym : Bryotropha solanella Boisduval, 1874)
Potato Tuberworm
 GELECHIINAE ,   GELECHIIDAE

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


(Specimen: courtesy of the Queensland Department of Primary Industry , Bundaberg)

This Caterpillar is off-white, with a narrow dark brown thorax, and an even narrower dark brown head. It is an agricultural pest. It bores into the leaves, shoots and stems of the plants, as well as root tubers, of members of the family SOLANACEAE, including:

  • Potato ( Solanum tuberosum ),
  • Tomato ( Lycopersicum esculentum ),
  • Tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ), and
  • Eggplant ( Solanum melongena ).

    The Caterpillar grows to a length of about 1 cm.


    (Specimen: courtesy of the Queensland Department of Primary Industry , Bundaberg)

    The adult moths have wings with a complex brown pattern. The moths havea wingspan of about 1 cm. The males and females come together using specific aromatic attractant substances (pheromones). The species may be controlled by

  • irradiation to generate a lethal strain,
  • using insecticides,
  • the PoGV Granulosis Virus ( BACULOVIRIDAE ),
  • the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis ( BACILLACEAE ),
  • the wasp Orgilus lepidus ( BRACONIDAE ),
  • the wasp Apanteles subandinus ( BRACONIDAE ),
  • the egg parasitoid wasp Trichogramma pretiosum ( TRICHOGRAMMATIDAE ), and
  • the egg parasitoid wasp Copidosoma koehleri ( ENCYRTIDAE ).


    (Specimen: courtesy of the Queensland Department of Primary Industry , Bundaberg)

    The species occurs world-wide , for example

  • Australia,
  • Hawaii,
  • Israel,
  • Mediterranean,
  • New Zealand,
  • Peru, and
  • USA.


    (Picture courtesy of the CSIRO Entomology)

    It was introduced by unfortunate accident into Australia.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig. 25.13, pp. 57-58, 62, 68, 260.

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    (updated 17 December 2008)