Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047
Keiferia lycopersicella
This record describes Keiferia lycopersicella (species). Recorded family: Gelechiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This group is not distinguishable by wing maculation and is best determined by DNA or dissection. ( 3 ) - Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). ( 4 ) Introduced species (1920 or earlier) and considered an economic pest of tomato production.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Gelechioidea
- Family
- Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
- Subfamily
- Gelechiinae
- Tribe
- Gnorimoschemini
- Genus
- Keiferia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Found across the southern United States and in Hawaii. ( 5 ) Has been found in greenhouses used for tomato production in northern areas of eastern North America. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Adults have been found year round.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host is most often tomato, but eggplant and potatoes are also hosts.
Life History
Early instar larvae are leaf miners and then later bore into buds of fruit. ( 5 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from the host plant genus. Gudmann notes that the larva is a leaf folder of Lycopersicon in St Croix.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Keiferia lycopersicella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047
What is Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047?
Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047 (Keiferia lycopersicella) is a species in the family Gelechiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047?
Wingspan 9-12 mm.
How do you identify Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047?
This group is not distinguishable by wing maculation and is best determined by DNA or dissection. ( 3 ) - Specimen identified by DNA analysis (BOLD). ( 4 )
Where is Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047 found?
Range: Found across the southern United States and in Hawaii. ( 5 ) Has been found in greenhouses used for tomato production in northern areas of eastern North America. Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047 eat?
The diet of the Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047 includes Larval host is most often tomato, but eggplant and potatoes are also hosts..
When is Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047 active?
Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047: seasonal activity - Adults have been found year round..
What is the life cycle of a Tomato pinworm - Hodges#2047?
Early instar larvae are leaf miners and then later bore into buds of fruit. ( 5 )