Assara seminivale

Assara seminivale, the kernel grub or macadamia kernel grub, is a species of snout moth in the genus Assara. It was described by Turner in 1904, and is known from Australia.[1] There are also records for Sikkim, Tonkin, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and Borneo, but these need verification.

Assara seminivale
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pyralidae
Genus: Assara
Species:
A. seminivale
Binomial name
Assara seminivale
(Turner, 1904)[1]
Synonyms
  • Assara seminivalis Turner, 1904
  • Cateremna seminivale
  • Hypanthidium seminivale Meyrick, 1879

The wingspan is 13–21 mm. Adults have dark brown forewings with a black mark halfway along the costa, and a black tip. The hindwings are fawn with dark veins.[2]

The larvae feed on the nuts of Macadamia species (including Macadamia integrifolia), the seeds of Mangifera indica and fruit of Heritiera littoralis. They can only access the kernel when the shell has been previously damaged by another insect or when a nut has an open micropyle. Numerous larvae may be found in a single nut. Pupation takes place within the nut.[3]

References

  1. "World Pyraloidea Database". Globiz.pyraloidea.org. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
  2. Australian Insects
  3. Horak, Marianne (1994). "Identity of Two Phycitine Pests on Macadamia (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Phycitinae)". Australian Journal of Entomology. 33 (3): 235–244. doi:10.1111/j.1440-6055.1994.tb01225.x.



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