HOME Carposina graminis (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae)

Endemic

No larva picture. The larva feeds on buds. They are usually yellow with dorsal, longitudinal rows of black spots.

Adult

Not the best picture - the forewings are bright green- and black-patterned.

Host plants recorded from the Alaka`i Swamp:

Only one out of 16 adults was reared from `ohelo. There is some variation among individuals, and based on basic morphology these all appear to be the same species. This is a large endemic genus, though, so perhaps those collected off `ohelo are a different species. (There is an undescribed Carposina that feeds on `ohelo buds during the winter months, but that is quite distinct as an adult from C. graminis.)

Development time in the laboratory at 20°C:

Larval parasitoids recorded from the Alaka`i Swamp:

None recorded for certain. However, as small larvae they are difficult to distinguish from the larvae of Eccoptocera sp., which also feeds on `ohi`a buds. Two species of Sierola (large endemic genus of Bethylid wasps) were reared from one of these, and I have assumed it to be Eccoptocera, which is larger. It is possible though that one or both emerged from C. graminis, as they are not large wasps.
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Maintained by: Laurie Henneman (M.L.Henneman@bris.ac.uk),
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol