Phycita diaphana explained

Phycita diaphana is a species of snout moth.^[1] It is found in Portugal, Spain, Greece,^[2] Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion,^[3] Yemen, Western Sahara and Israel.^[4]

Description

The wingspan is 23–26 mm.^[5]

Biology

Phycita diaphana is a common, invasive pest of Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) throughout the Mediterranean region. In addition to R. communis, Ph. diaphanalarvae are also found feeding on Populus euphranica Oliv. (Salicaceae) and Chrozophora tintoria (L.) (= verbascifolia (Willd.)) (Euphorbiaceae). Yelicones iranus (Fischer, 1963) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) has been reported as a parasitoid of caterpillars of Phycita diaphana in Israel.

Notes and References

1. Web site: World Pyraloidea Database . Globiz.pyraloidea.org . 2012-03-05.
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20140502032043/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=442271 Fauna Europaea
3. http://www.afromoths.net/species_by_code/PHYCDIAP www.afromoths.net
4. Quicke, D.L.J., Kuslitzky, W.S. & Butcher, B.A. 2018. First host record for Old World Yelicones (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) adds to evidence that they are strictly parasitoids of Pyralidae (Lepidoptera). Israel Journal of Entomology 48 (1): 33–40. Article
5. http://www.lepiforum.de/cgi-bin/lepiwiki.pl?Phycita_Diaphana lepiforum.de