Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917)
tomato leaf-miner
on mainly Solanaceae
Lycopersicon esculenteum, Peru, Lima © Chris Snyers
Source: Pherobank, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Lycopersicon esculentum, Westland, ‘s-Gravenzande, 1.viii.2014 © Jan Scheffers: first open air observation
larva protruding from the mine
larva
the species also is a borer in the fruits …
… and in the stems.
Solanum tuberosum, Westland, ‘s-Gravenzande © Jan Scheffers
Solanum nigrum, Westland, ‘s-Gravenzande © Jan Scheffers
opened mine with larva
Solanum tuberosum, Westland, ‘s-Gravenzande © Jan Scheffers
Lycopersicon esculentum, Westland, ‘s-Gravenzande © Jan Scheffers: when the larva acts as a stem borer, some light swelling may occur
Solanum triflorum, Westland, ‘s-Gravenzande © Jan Scheffers
larva
mine
Oviposition at the leaf underside. Initially a full depth gallery with an irregular course and width. Frass here in a central, only rarely interrupted, pearl chain. Later the mine develops into a very irregular, full depth blotch with only a little frass in loose grains. Probably the larva can leave its mine and restart elsewhere (getting rid of its frass in the mean time), because attacked leaves show loose silk at their surface. The larva mines it entire life; pupation is external.
host plantsSolanaceae, to a lesser degree also Amaranthaceae, Convolvulaceae, Fabaceae
Capsicum annuum; Chenopodium album; Convolvulus arvensis; Datura ferox, stramonium; Lycium chilense; Lycopersicon esculentum, hirsutum; Nicotiana glauca, tabacum; Petunia; Phaseolus vulgaris; Schizanthus; Solanum dulcamara, elaegagnifolium, lyratum, muricatum, melongena, nigrum, triflorum, tuberosum, viride.
BENELUX
BE Found by Chris Snyers in in 2011 in Belgium mining in the open air, not far from a tomato greenhouse where already in 2010 an infestation had occurred.
NE NE Found in 2914 by Jan Scheffers in the open, also on a wild plant (Solanum nigrum). Fond vy him in 2016 in the dunes on Solanum dulcamara, nigrum, and triflorum.
LUX not recorded.
distribution within Europe
southern Europe; originally a species from Latin America.
larva
parasitoids, predators
Baryscapus bruchophagi; Brachymeria secundaria; Closterocerus clarus; Elachertus inunctus, pulcher; Hockeria unicolor; Necremnus arytenes, cosmopterix, tutae; Pnigalio cristatus, incompletus; Pteromalus intermedius.
notes
In southern Europe, where the species has been accidentally introduced, a serious pest on potatoes and tomato. In the first case because of damage to the foliage, in the case of tomato mainly because the larvae also attack the developing fruits.
references
Baldizzone & Scalercio (2018a), Bayram, Giller, Fursov, ao (2016a), Bidzilya, Karsholt, Kravchenko & Šumpich (2019a), Corley, Rosete, Romão ao (2015a), García & Bacallado (2013a), Gebiola, Bernardo, Ribes & Gibson (2015a), Huemer & Karsholt (2010a), Huisman, Koster, Muus & van Nieukerken (2013a), OEPP/EPPO (2005a) Oztemiz (2014a), De Prins & Steeman (2011a), Steeman & Sierens (2019a), Toševski, Jović, Mitrović, Cvrković, Krstić & Krnjajić (2011a).