Haplochrois theae
Encyclopedia
Haplochrois theae is a species of moth
of the Elachistidae
family. It is found from western Transcaucasia and Anatolia
to China
. It probably originated from south-east Asia. During the 20th century, this species was a serious pest on tea plantations in Georgia
and to a lesser degree, in the Krasnodar Territory of Russia
.
The wingspan
is 9-12 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August in one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Camellia sinensis
and Camellia japonica
and is considered a pest. They mine
the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a small fleck mine. Up to forty mines can be found in a single leaf. Larvae can be found from late summer to fall and again (after overwintering) in the second half of March. At this point, they feed on the young shoots. They mine in the pith. Pupation takes place from the end of May to the end of July within the mine.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Elachistidae
Elachistidae
| image = Elachista rufocinerea 2.jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Elachista rufocinerea,demonstrating its tiny size versus an aphid and a spider mite | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta...
family. It is found from western Transcaucasia and Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It probably originated from south-east Asia. During the 20th century, this species was a serious pest on tea plantations in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
and to a lesser degree, in the Krasnodar Territory of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 9-12 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August in one generation per year.
The larvae feed on Camellia sinensis
Camellia sinensis
Camellia sinensis is the species of plant whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce Chinese tea. It is of the genus Camellia , a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. White tea, green tea, oolong, pu-erh tea and black tea are all harvested from this species, but are processed...
and Camellia japonica
Camellia japonica
The Japanese Camellia is one of the best known species of camellia. Sometimes called the rose of winter, it is a member of the Theaceae family or tea family. It is a flowering shrub or a small tree native to Japan, Korea and China. It is the official state flower of Alabama.-Description:In the...
and is considered a pest. They mine
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
the leaves of their host plant. The mine has the form of a small fleck mine. Up to forty mines can be found in a single leaf. Larvae can be found from late summer to fall and again (after overwintering) in the second half of March. At this point, they feed on the young shoots. They mine in the pith. Pupation takes place from the end of May to the end of July within the mine.