Batrachedra amydraula
Batrachedra amydraula is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of Batrachedridae.
- 4.1 Notes and references
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 11-12 millimeters. The head is gray and ocher has lateral white stripes that range from the sensor base to the neck tufts and are wider there. The antennae are curled ocher gray and indistinct brown. The first four segments are ocher gray. The thorax is gray and ocher lateral yellowish white. The tegulae are yellowish white and ocher mottled gray. The forewings are pale yellow to yellowish white. The dorsal half to Kostal fold and half fold over the Kostal are densely covered with brown scales, so in the middle of a pale yellow line arises in only a few brown scales are interspersed. Shortly before the middle of the front wing is located on the costal fold an indistinct brown line. In the pale yellow line located at 3/ 5 and 4/5 brown spots. The fringe scales are ocher gray. The hind wings shining pale gray.
Similar Species
B. amydraula is smaller and can be distinguished from Batrachedra parvulipunctella also by the pale yellow longitudinal line on the fore wings.
Dissemination
Batrachedra amydraula is in North Africa, located in the Near and the Middle East. In the east, the range extends to India.
Biology
The caterpillars develop on the genuine date palm (Phoenix dactylifera ). They bite the stem end into a hole through which they penetrate into the young fruits, while damaging the pulp and the soft seeds. The injuries inflicted on the trees here, lead to considerable yield losses. The moths fly from March to August in three generations. B. amydraula is one of the most important pests of the date palm is in the English language known as ' lesser date moth ".