Scientific Name: Bactra bactrana

Describer: Kennel

Common Name: nan

Title: Bactra bactrana reported feeding on peppers for the first time

Summary:

Issues of Concern: In 2014, Bactra bactrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) larvae were found infesting Capsicum annuum (pepper) fruits in two greenhouses in the Greek island of Crete. Multiple small holes were observed on infested fruits, and internal feeding resulted in extensive tissue damage, dark discoloration, and yield losses. This is the first report of C. annuum as a host of B. bactrana (Roditakis et al., 2015). Bactra bactrana was previously only known to be a stem borer of Cyperaceae and Poaceae (Brown et al., 2008; Roditakis et al., 2015). The factors influencing the tortricid shift to peppers are currently unknown.

References:

Aarvik, L. E. 2013. Fauna Europaea: Tortricidae. In: Karsholt, O. & Nieukerken, E.J. van. 2013. Fauna Europaea: Lepidoptera, Moths. Fauna Europaea version 2.6, http://www.faunaeur.org

Brown, J. W., G. Robinson & J. A. Powell. 2008. Food plant database of the leafrollers of the world (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) (Version 1.0). http://www.tortricid.net/foodplants.asp

Diakonoff, A. 1963. Ergebnisse der Zoologischen Nubien-Expedition 1962. Ann. Naturhistor. Mus. Wien, 66, 473-476.

Diakonoff, A. 1964. Fruther Records and Descriptions of the Species of Bactra Stephens (Lepidoptera Tortricidae). Zoologishe Verhandelingen, 70, 3-80.

Roditakis, E., S. Morin, and J. Baixeras. 2016. Is Bactra bactrana (Kennel, 1901) a novel pest of sweet peppers? Bulletin of Entomological Research 106 (2): 161-167.