Eudocima spp. adults are moths that feed on ripe or ripening fruit. Occasionally, some species can cause economic losses in commercial crops. In Mexico, this group of lepidopterans has been little studied and the information is limited to capture records in diverse regions of the country. However, in recent years, damage to commercial maradol papaya crops caused by these moths has been detected. The species identified as Eudocima serpentifera and Eudocima apta were found feeding on papaya fruits. Although the two moths can be differentiated by external characteristics, problems have arisen in terms of determining the species. This paper provides comparative descriptions and images of diagnostic traits for precise identification. Moreover, the damage that these species cause is described and illustrated.
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1 April 2017
Identification of Fruit-Piercing Moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) and Damage Caused to Papaya Fruit in Mexico
Artemio Hernández-Ruiz,
Carlos Patricio Illescas-Riquelme,
Néstor Bautista-Martínez,
Reyna Vargas-Abasolo,
Jorge M. Valdez-Carrasco,
Pedro Figueroa-Castro
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Entomological News
Vol. 126 • No. 5
April 2017
Vol. 126 • No. 5
April 2017
Calpinae
Carica papaya pest
Eudocima apta
Eudocima serpentifera