Parategeticula pollenifera

Parategeticula pollenifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Prodoxidae
Genus: Parategeticula
Species: P. pollenifera
Binomial name
Parategeticula pollenifera
Davis, 1967

Parategeticula pollenifera is a moth of the Prodoxidae family. It is found in pine-oak forests in south-western Arizona, south-western New Mexico and Veracruz (in Mexico).

The wingspan is 24–31 mm. Adults have relatively broad forewings with off-white and occasional dark scales. Females possess similar maxillary tentacles which are used to pick up pollen and to actively pollinate host flowers.[1]

The larvae feed on Yucca schottii and Yucca elephantipes. Young larvae bore into the young fruit of their host plant and create a gall that replaces several seeds. When fully grown, they burrow into the soil, where pupation takes place. The larval diapause can last for at least two years.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Parategeticula pollenifera.
Wikispecies has information related to: Parategeticula pollenifera


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 1/27/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.