GalileaPatricio

http://cisr.ucr.edu/european_pepper_moth.html
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/veg/leps/european_pepper_moth.htm

The European Pepper Moth originates from the Mediterranean area and the Canary Islands. The
Pepper Moth is now present in many countries such as Europe, Africa, and the Middle East as well as the
United States although its introduction is unknown. This invasive species or pest has a broad selection of
hosts, favoring strawberries and peppers, and presents a potential threat to agricultural products and is
definitely a threat to products in states with large agricultural productions. Currently the moth is located in
15 out of the 50 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Mississippi,
New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington. The European
Pepper Moth is hard to detect as the caterpillar and egg stages are veiled on plants, therefore they are
able to extend their range by traveling on plants mainly those that exported and/ or serve as ornamental
purposes. The expansion of the moth is vast for the female can lay up to 200 eggs with multiple
generations in a single year, all of which then hatch and attach themselves to plants. The larvae pose a
threat to plants because they damage roots, leaves, fruits, buds, and flowers. Larvae feeding on plants
can result in dead spots on leafs or on stems which then result in stem girdling. There are however,
controls to this exotic species such as cultural, chemical, and biological control. Cultural control involves
plant owner responsibility to clean plants with webbing and place their plants in clean containers as well as
removing decaying material as this is the European Pepper Moth preferred food source. Chemical control
involves the use of pesticides to kill off adult moths when they land on plants. Finally, biological control
involves the use of products containing the bacteria Bacillus Thuringiensis which prevents the early
stages of the moths development. Other predatory mites are effective against the European Moth, all of
whicharecommerciallyavailableintheUnitedStates.