Tirathaba rufivena (Walker, 1864)
Greater Coconut Spike Moth
(one synonym : Melissoblaptes rufovenalis Snellen, 1880)
 GALLERIINAE ,   PYRALIDAE

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

Tirathaba rufivena
(Photo: courtesy of Buck Richardson, Kuranda)

These caterpillars are a pest, feeding on

  • Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera ), and
  • flowers of Mangrove Palm ( Nypa fruticans ),

    both of ARECACEAE.

    The adult moths have dull green or brown forewings each a number of thin red stripes from margin to base. The hindwings are plain pale yellow.

    The species is found from south-east Asia to the pacific islands, including :

  • The Philippines, and
  • the tropical region of Queensland.

    Attempts have been made to control the pest using:

  • the entomoparasitic nematode Steinernema feltiae, and
  • Tachinid flies.

    Further reading :

    Ian F.B. Common,
    Moths of Australia, Melbourne University Press, 1990, fig/ 31.8, p. 348.

    C.E. Gallego and R.G. Abad,
    Incidence, biology and control of the greater coconut spike moth, Tirathaba rufivena Walker (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae),
    Philippine Journal of Coconut Studies, Volume 10, Number 2, pp. 9-13, 1985 [Publ. date 1987]

    Paul Zborowski and Ted Edwards,
    A Guide to Australian Moths, CSIRO Publishing, 2007, p. 134.

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    (updated 6 November 2010)