Prays oleae (olive moth) is a moth of the family Plutellidae found in Europe.
| Olive moth | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Praydidae |
| Genus: | Prays |
| Species: | P. oleae |
| Binomial name | |
| Prays oleae Bernard, 1788 | |
| Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 11–15 millimetres (3⁄8–5⁄8 in).
The larvae are a pest on olives (Olea europaea). Other recorded food plants include Phillyrea, jasmine and Ligustrum. They mine the leaves of their host plant which initially consists of an upper-surface, short, narrow corridor.[1]
The moth is found in Southern Europe (the Mediterranean region) and North Africa. It was first found in Great Britain at a garden centre in Surrey in 2009 and has since been found at a light trap in Kent.[2]
| Taxon identifiers |
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