Bedellia oplismeniella

Bedellia oplismeniella is a moth of the family Bedelliidae. It was first described by Otto Swezey in 1912. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, specifically to Oahu and possibly Molokai and Hawaii.

Bedellia oplismeniella
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Bedelliidae
Genus: Bedellia
Species:
B. oplismeniella
Binomial name
Bedellia oplismeniella
Swezey, 1912

The larvae feed on Oplismenus compositus and Panicum torridum. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine is usually positioned lengthwise in the leaf, widening as the larvae grows in size. Full-grown larvae are about 5 mm long and pale green with a mid-dorsal purplish-red stripe. When full grown, the larva emerges from the leaf, spins a few fibers beside the mid-rib of the leaf, at the base, or in some other partially secluded place, then pupates among these fibers without making a cocoon. The pupa is about 4 mm long and pale yellowish. The pupal period lasts about 8 days.

External links edit

  • Zimmerman, Elwood C. (1978). Insects of Hawaii. Vol. 9 Microlepidoptera. The University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu. hdl:10125/7338.