Opogona sacchari found in the Czech Republic
The NPPO of the Czech Republic recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the finding of Opogona sacchari (Lepidoptera: Tineidae – EPPO A2 List) on its territory. In 2010, 1 larva was found in a Ficus microcarpa plant, in a house in the city of Brno. This larva was reared to the adult stage and identified as O. sacchari. The trunk of the affected F. microcarpa was heavily damaged and the plant was destroyed. The NPPO recalled that O. sacchari had been recorded occasionally in the past:
- In 2000: larvae and empty pupae were observed beneath the bark of Yucca plants and in the accompanying growing medium in the city of Frýdek-Mίstek. These infested plants had been imported from the Netherlands.
- In 2005: it was observed on Beaucarnea (Nolina) recurvata plants in a house in Prague.
- In 2006: larvae were found on banana fruits in the Pavilion of ‘Indonesian Jungle’ in the zoological garden of Prague.
In all cases, the occurrence of the pest was associated with imported plants. O. sacchari is not expected to survive outdoors in the Czech Republic, therefore no other particular measures were taken in addition to the destruction of the infested plants.
The pest status of Opogona sacchari in the Czech Republic is officially declared as: Absent, a few records only from protected cultivation after import, eradicated.
Sources
NPPO of the Czech Republic (2011-03).