| Maruca Pod Borer (Maruca vitrata (Fabricius, 1787)) |
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Scientific name: Maruca vitrata (Fabricius, 1787) Common name: Maruca Pod Borer Other names: Old scientific name: Maruca testulalis. Other common names: Bean Pod Borer, Soybean Pod Borer, Mung Moth, Legume Pod Borer. French name: Pyrale des gousses Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Crambidae Subfamily: Spilomelinae Wingspan: 28-34 mm Biotope: Geographic area: Widely distributed in tropical and semitropical regions, Central Africa and South Africa, South-eastern Asia from India to Japan, Australia and Pacific Islands including Hawaii, south Mexico to the tropical regions of South America, West Indies. Flight time: Depending on the growing cycles of the host plants. Number of generations : The development cycle is rather fast and may be shorter than 30 days. So there are several broods per year. Caterpillar: Initially pale yellow with a pale brown head, then becoming brown with a dark brown head, a black thorax, and dorsally four prominent black dots on each segment forming rows along the back. Host plant: Various Fabaceae whose buds, flowers and pods are bored by the caterpillars. Maruca Pod Borers are important pests of grain legume crops. |
Maruca vitrata has pale brown fore wings marked with three white spots outlined by a thin dark line. The hind wings are white with a pale brown border of irregular width, along half length of the margin starting from the apex. Maruca vitrata is used to landing with its wings wide open. |
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I have shot this picture at Roura, at Camps Patawa, during a light trap night session. |
André Bon December 2014