General
General
The banana moth or banana borer (Opogona sacchari, also known as Opogona subcervinella) belongs to the family of Tineidae. Outside of tropical zones, the banana moth (Opogona sacchari) can only establish in greenhouses. The insect has been repeatedly encountered in different European countries, but was eradicated in some. The species is polyphagous and feeds on plants of 22 families. It is an important pest in banana and can also attack tropical crops such as pineapple, bamboo, maize, potato and sugarcane. The caterpillars are polyphagous and prodigious feeders, attacking large numbers of ornamental plants of tropical or sub-tropical origin that are now cultivated in European greenhouses. Dracaena, yucca, strelitzia and cacti are hosts, and occasionally dieffenbachia, euphorbia, bromeliads and ficus function as host as well.