Banana moth

Damage caused by the Banana moth

All the larval stages of banana moth cause serious damage to host plants including banana, pineapple, bamboo by burrowing into roots, petioles or stems and feeding internally on their tissues. Heavy infestation of banana moth can cause drying of banana leaves and eventually collapsing of plants.

Facts (show all)

+Common names

• Banana moth

+Scientific name

• Opogona sacchari

+Identification

Adults: Banana moths are yellowish brown in color with longitudinal brown banding on forewings. Hindwings are pale white in color.

Eggs: Eggs of banana moth white in color and oval in shape.

Larvae: Larvae of banana moth are translucent, dirty white in color with reddish brown head capsule and over 20 mm long.

Pupae: Pupae of banana moth are brown in color.

+Biology

Females of banana moths lay in clusters of 5 eggs in the cracks and crevices of the plant tissues. Eggs hatch into small larvae within 10- 12 days.After hatching from eggs, young larvae burrow into the plant tissues. While feeding on the plant tissue inside the tunnel, they develop into 4 developmental stages and mature. Mature larvae may spin a silken cocoon at the end of the tunnel and then pupate inside the cocoons. Adults will emerge from the pupae within 5- 6 days, mate, lay eggs and life cycle continues. Depending on the favourable conditions, banana moth can complete egg to adult life cycle within 30- 40 days.

+ Organic Control of the Banana moth

• Following beneficial bugs are used for organic control of Banana moth

+Beneficial Nematodes

• Heterorhabditis bacteriophora
• Steinernema feltiae
• Steinernema carpocapsae

Click each of the following beneficial nematodes for more information on their rates and methods of applications for the effective control of the Banana moth.