Discovery of the biology of Glyphipterix loricatella (Treitschke, 1833) (Lepidoptera, Glyphipterigidae), a borer in Iris (Iridaceae)

Abstract

The biology and larva of Glyphipterix loricatella (Treitschke, 1833) are described for the first time on the basis of material from two localities in Hungary, in the vicinity of Budapest. We reared larvae from Iris × germanica L. (Iridaceae), representing a new hostplant family for Glyphipterix. The larvae develop over a year in the leaves, later in the rhizome, where they spend the winter as mature larvae. The larvae eat themselves out of the rhizome in spring and pupate outside the rhizome in the soil in a cocoon, covered with soil particles. The pupal stage lasts 30–35 days. All developmental stages are illustrated.

Keywords

• Lepidoptera
• Glyphipterix loricatella
• Hungary
• Ir