Gelechiidae

35.127 Tomato Leaf-miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917)

Adventive

Similar species:

Forewing: 5.5 to 6.5mm

Habitats: Gardens and greenhouses.

Habits: The first British records at light were in 2010. It is originally from South America and probably arrived in Europe (Spain, 2006) on imported Tomatoes.

Foodplant: In North America, southern Europe and elsewhere, this moth is a serious pest. The larva mines a full depth gallery on a Tomato or other solanum leaf. This is developed into an irregular, full depth blotch. It later bores into the buds, stalks and fruit. Infected tomato fruit have small entry holes at the opposite end to the stem. It pupates on the leaves or in the soil, but is occasionally found in the flowers, shoots and fruits. It has also been reported from French Beans, Aubergine, Black Nightshade, Thornapple, Tree Tobacco, Wild Tomato and many other plants in the solanum family.