Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Citrus fruit piercing moth (113)

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Photo 1. Adult fruit-piercing moth, Endocima fullonia. Note the red hind wings with the distinctive comma markings and black borders.

Photo 2. Fruit drop on orange caused by fruit piercing moth, Eudocima fullonia (Queensland). There is no fruit left on the tree!

Photo 3. Close-up of fallen citrus fruit from tree illustrated in Photo 2. Note, the small circular rots that quickly spread across the fruit; these are due to secondary invasions of fungi and bacteria after the fruit-piercing moth, Eudocima fullonia, has made an entry point.

Summary

• Widespread distribution. Not in Americas. On a wide range of cultivated and wild fruits, including banana, citrus, 5-corner fruit, guava, mango, passionfruit, pineapple and, in outbreak years, capsicum, melon and tomato. An important pest.
• Adult moths do the damage, causing serious outbreaks on citrus (>70%), tomatoes, capsicum, 5-corner fruit. Adults have a 25 mm long, barbed feeding tube to pierce the fruit and suck out the juices. Rots develop from the holes.
• Eggs laid on Erythrina trees, where larvae feed. Note, a gall wasp has decimated trees in some countries, and moth populations have declined.
• Natural enemies: not always sufficient to stop outbreaks.
• Cultural controls: early harvests; fruit bagging, nets.
• Chemical control: not practical; moths have minimal contact with fruit, and sprays near harvest may leave residues. Not feasible to cut down Erythrina trees.

Common Name

Fruit-piercing moth

Scientific Name

Eudocima fullonia; previously Othreis fullonia

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