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? Potato Tuberworm

Phthorimaea operculella

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

A patchy brown moth with satiny wings and fringed margins, about 10 mm long. Eyes dark, medium-sized antennae held forward.

Habitat:

Spotted near suburban sports field with native trees and gardens

Notes:

This ID needs confirmation.
If correct then this moth occurs worldwide and was introduced into Australia by accident. It's caterpillar destroys plants of the Solanaceae family ( eggplant, tobacco, potato & tomato) - seen as an agricultural pest.
Family: Gelechiidae

Reference Links:

Phthorimaea operculella

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PublishedSeptember 18, 2013

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