Bright-line brown-eye moth

Lacanobia oleracea

1. Identification

• Common name: Bright-line brown-eye moth
• Scientific name: Lacanobia oleracea (Linnaeus)
• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Noctuidae

2. Pest description

• Light-green to yellowish-green caterpillars, with a light dorsal line and dark lateral spots, reaching 35–40 mm.
• Adults with brown forewings, displaying a characteristic bright, light line; wingspan of 35–45 mm.
• Polyphagous species, with a high capacity to cause damage in horticultural crops.
• Mainly nocturnal activity, with caterpillars feeding on leaves, stems and fruits.

3. Main hosts

• Tomato plant.
• Potato, pepper, eggplant and other solanaceous plants.
• Various vegetable crops, including cabbages, lettuces and spinach.
• Wild plants that act as a reservoir.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Irregular perforations in the leaves and destruction of young tissues.
• Damage to fruits, especially in tomato, due to internal feeding by the caterpillars.
• Reduced plant vigour and significant production losses.
• Presence of dark excrement near the feeding areas.

5. Biological cycle

• Eggs deposited singly or in small groups on the underside of the leaves.
• Caterpillars develop over 3–4 weeks, passing through several instars.
• Pupation in the soil, where they remain in shallow chambers.
• Adults emerge in spring and summer; several annual generations may occur, depending on climatic conditions.

6. Monitoring

• Direct observation of caterpillars and damage on the leaves and fruits.
• Pheromone traps for detecting adults and tracking population dynamics.
• Regular inspection of horticultural crops, especially during higher-risk periods.
• Assessment of the presence of pupae in the soil in areas with a history of the pest.

7. Management measures

• Cultural: crop rotation, removal of plant debris and surface tillage of the soil to expose pupae.
• Preventive: frequent monitoring and elimination of wild host plants.
• Biological: application of Bacillus thuringiensis during the early caterpillar stages; promotion of natural enemies.
• Integrated protection: defining intervention thresholds, judicious use of authorised insecticides and integration with monitoring data.

Bibliographic references

• CABI – Invasive Species Compendium – Lacanobia oleracea.
• EPPO Global Database – Lacanobia oleracea.
• Alford, D. V. (2007). Pest and Disease Management Handbook. Blackwell Publishing.
• Carter, D. J. (1984). Pest Lepidoptera of Europe. Dr W. Junk Publishers.
• Finch, S. et al. (2003). Host interactions and feeding behaviour of the bright-line brown-eye moth. Annals of Applied Biology, 143, 317–326.