Protea moth

Blastobasis spp.

1. Identification

• Common name: Protea moth
• Scientific name: Blastobasis spp.
• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Blastobasidae

2. Pest description

• Small caterpillars, cream to pinkish in colour, with a brown head, reaching about 10–12 mm.
• Small adults, with narrow greyish wings, displaying discreet patterns.
• Species associated mainly with flowers and inflorescences of proteas and other ornamental plants.
• Caterpillars feed on floral tissues, seeds and reproductive structures, and may cause internal damage that is barely visible externally.
• The cycle and intensity of attack vary among species within the genus Blastobasis.

3. Main hosts

• Proteas (Protea spp.).
• Other ornamental Proteaceae, such as Leucadendron spp. and Leucospermum spp.
• Some species may occasionally attack other ornamental plants.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Internal damage in flowers and inflorescences, often without obvious external signs.
• Presence of droppings and fine webs inside the floral structures.
• Deformation or premature drop of flowers and flower buds.
• Reduction of the commercial value of cut flowers.

5. Biological cycle

• Eggs laid on the inflorescences or floral structures.
• Caterpillars develop inside the flowers, feeding on reproductive tissues.
• Pupation generally occurs within the inflorescences themselves or in nearby plant debris.
• Adults with crepuscular or nocturnal activity.
• The number of generations depends on the climatic conditions and the availability of hosts.

6. Monitoring

• Direct observation of flowers and inflorescences to detect caterpillars and droppings.
• Opening suspect flower buds for internal inspection.
• Light traps for the detection of adults.
• Recording the percentage of affected inflorescences per batch or production area.

7. Management measures

• Cultural: removal and destruction of infested flowers and inflorescences, management of plant residues and improvement of air circulation in the plantation.
• Preventive: use of healthy plant material, strict inspection of plants before marketing and reduction of infestation foci.
• Biological: conservation of natural enemies and use of selective biological products where applicable.
• Integrated protection: regular monitoring, definition of intervention thresholds and judicious application of authorised insecticides targeting the most sensitive stages of the pest.

Bibliographic references

• CABI – Invasive Species Compendium – Blastobasis spp..
• EPPO Global Database – Blastobasis spp..
• Brown, J. W. et al. (2004). Taxonomy and biology of Blastobasis species associated with ornamental plants. Journal of Lepidopterists’ Society, 58, 143–158.
• Hodges, R. W. (1998). The Moths of North America: Blastobasidae. Wedge Entomological Research Foundation.
• Prins, A. J. (2012). Lepidoptera associated with Proteaceae. African Entomology, 20, 1–16.