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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #405974
Research Project: Systematics of Beetles, Flies, Moths and Wasps with an Emphasis on Agricultural Pests, Invasive Species, Biological Control Agents, and Food Security

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Araceae-feeding Midilinae (Crambidae: Pyraloidea): the taro-feeding snout moth, its larvae and biology in Costa Rica

Author
item Solis, Maria
item VARGAS ALVARADO, JAVIER - Universidad De Costa Rica
item PHILLIPS-RODRIGUEZ, E - National Museum Of Costa Rica
item HALLWACHS, W - University Of Pennsylvania

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/16/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Midilinae are large, brightly colored species with transparent windows on the forewings, and so are often mistaken as silk moths. The larvae reportedly feed on the plant family Araceae. Recently, the taro snout moth, Cacographis osteolalis osteolalis (Lederer, 1863), was discovered and reared as larvae of stem and petiole miners in Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta Schott (Araceae) in Costa Rica. The larva of Cacographis is described for the first time and external reactions by the plant are described and illustrated. Two other species in this genus are known to occur in Costa Rica, C. undulalis Schaus that is endemic to Costa Rica, and Cacographis osteolalis azteca Munroe, that we elevate to the rank of species, C. azteca, based external morphology, male genitalia, and its COI barcode.