Home / Clothes Moths (Tineidae) / Banana Moth (Opogona sacchari)

Banana Moth (Opogona sacchari)

The banana moth is a member of the family of fungus moths. They originated from the continent of Africa mainly thriving in the sub-Saharan African belt.

They eventually moved out of their native land, and was widespread worldwide.

Scientific Classification


  • Family: Tineidae
  • Genus: Opogona
  • Scientific Name: Opogona sacchari

In Brazil they were first spotted during the 1970s, then in Central America and eventually Europe. In North America’s Florida, they were first spotted since 1986. The caterpillars are considered pests to ornamentals.

Banana Moth

arthropodafotos.de

Description and Identification

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are dirty white, transparent, and have brown heads. They are around 2.1-2.6 cm long.

Banana Moth Caterpillar

bugwoodcloud.org

Pupa

They are brown, smaller than 1 cm, and stay inside a 1.5 cm cocoon during this stage.

Banana Moth Pupa

upload.wikimedia.org

Adult Moth

Sexual Dimorphism: Present. A dark spot is observed on the apex of the male’s forewing, which is absent in the female moth.

Color and Appearance

Forewing: When the wings are opened, they have a dark brown base, with dark brown bands also running through them. The males have two additional brown dots right on top of their forewings as mentioned above. When closed, the brown coloration remains the same, while the bands and spots could be partially visible.

Hindwing: When the wings are opened, they are paler and brighter than the forewings. When the wings are closed, they are completely hidden.

Average wingspan: 1.8-2.5 cm

Flight pattern: Erratic

Season: Year-round

Opogona sacchari

arthropodafotos.de

Egg

The eggs are laid in tiny crevices in the host plant.

Banana Moth Eggs

bugwoodcloud.org

Quick Facts

DistributionNative: Sub-Saharan Africa in the regions of Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues Island, the Seychelles, and St. Helena
Invasive: Brazil, Central America, Europe, and Florida
HabitatHumid tropical and sub-tropical regions
Lifespan of Adults6 days
Host PlantsBamboo, bananas, maize, pineapples, and sugarcane
Adult DietDoes not feed

Did You Know

  • Czech naturalist Wencesias Bojer first described this species in 1856.
Banana Moth Image

idtools.org

Banana Moth Picture

lepiforum.de

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *