- Restricted distribution. Asia, Africa, Oceania. Present in Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Vanuatu.
- A major pest. Larvae bore into fruits of Tahitian chestnut creating holes with frass, making them inedible. Light grey, up to 15 mm long, caterpillar with 8 spots on each segment. Moths, brown with yellow tips to forewings.
- Cultural control: ideally, remove fallen fruit - but trees grow wild so unlikely to make an impact.
- Chemical control: Not an appropriate measure: trees large, wild and larvae protected inside fruits.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Tahitian chestnut moth (359)
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Summary
Common Name
Tahitian chestnut fruit borer.
Scientific Name
Cryptophlebia pallifimbriana. It is a moth of the Tortricidae
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AUTHORS Grahame Jackson & Mani Mua
1Information from Swaine G (1971) Agricultural Zoology in Fiji. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. London; and from Cryptophlebia pallifimbriana. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptophlebia_pallifimbriana). Photos 3&4 Gerald McCormack, Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage. (http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org).
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project HORT/2016/185: Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
