Prays oleae

Description

Prays oleae (olive moth) is a moth of the family Plutellidae. It is found in Southern Europe (the Mediterranean region) and North Africa. The wingspan is 11–15 mm. The larvae are a pest on Olea europaea. Other recorded food plants include Phillyrea, jasmine and Ligustrum. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine initially consists of an upper-surface, short, narrow corridor. Later, in early spring, it may abandon this mine and create an irregular full depth blotch elsewhere on the leaf, or it may continue the corridor into a blotch. Most frass is ejected through a hole in the mine. Part of this frass is captured in spinning at the leaf underside.