Cadra cautella

Cadra cautella (Walker, 1863)
Almond Moth
(previously known as Ephestia cautella)
PHYCITINI , PHYCITINAE, PYRALIDAE, PYRALOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

Cadra cautella
(Picture: courtesy of Casa Bernardo, Brasil)

This Caterpillar is an international agricultural pest, particularly of

Flowers of Date Palms ( Phoenix dactylifera, ARECACEAE ),

Peanuts ( Arachis hypogaea, FABACEAE ),

Kernels of Tree Beans ( Parkia timoriana, MIMOSACEAE ),

stored grain, and

dried fruit.

The caterpillar grows to a length of about 1 cm.

When one caterpillar encounters another, they each produce a small amount of brown liquid from the mouth, and this causes the Caterpillars to walk apart. This appears to be a mechanism that prevents overcrowding of the caterpillars. Unfortunately for the caterpillars, this mandibular secretion also attracts parasitoid wasps such as Venturia canescens ( ICHNEUMONIDAE ).

(Photo: courtesy of the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph)

The adult moths have fawn forewings, each with various vague markings including a brown smudge near the middle, a dark medial band, and a narrower pale zigzag submarginal band. The wingspan is about 2 cms.

The males and females come together using pheromones the chemical nature of which have been identified. The females emit these chemicals and the males sense them and fly to the female. The adults also use ultrasonic sounds (~80 Khz) in their courtship behaviour.