Atheloca subrufella

Atheloca subrufella, the palm bud moth or coconut moth, is a species of snout moth described by George Duryea Hulst in 1887.[2] It is found in the US states of Georgia and Florida,[3] and in northern Mexico, Cuba, the Virgin Islands and Brazil.

Atheloca subrufella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pyralidae
Genus:	Atheloca
Species:	A. subrufella
Binomial name
Atheloca subrufella Hulst, 1887[1]
Synonyms
Nephopteryx subrufella Hulst, 1887 Nephopteryx filiolella Hulst, 1888 Hyalospila ptychis Dyar, 1919

The wingspan is 14–18 mm. Adults are brownish.

The larvae feed on various species in the family Arecaceae, including Cocos, Attalea, Syagrus, Sabal and Serenoa species. They are one of the most important coconut pests. Young larvae feed on the carpels of still-tender flowers or, if the flower has already been fertilized, they penetrate the developing coconut through the lower part of the bracts. In young coconuts, the larvae feed on the mesocarp, opening a series of galleries and causing premature shedding of fruits.[4]

References

1. "800520 – 5734 – Atheloca subrufella – Palm Bud Moth – (Hulst, 1887)". Moth Photographers Group. Mississippi State University. Retrieved 2017-09-06.
2. "GlobIZ search". Global Information System on Pyraloidea. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
3. Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck on 7 June 2007 - 4:58pm (2007-06-07). "Bug Guide". Bug Guide. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
4. "Biology and Mating Behavior of the Coconut Moth Atheloca subrufella (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae)" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-09-29.