Phthorimaea operculella

Potato tuber moth
	Dorsal view
	Ventral view
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Gelechiidae
Genus:	Phthorimaea
Species:	P. operculella
Binomial name
	Phthorimaea operculella; (Zeller, 1873)
Synonyms
	Gelechia terrella Walker, 1864; Gelechia operculella Zeller, 1873; Gnorimoschema operculella; Gelechia sedata Butler, 1880; Parasia sedata; Bryotropha solanella Boisduval, 1874; Gelechia tabacella Ragonot, 1879; Gelechia piscipellis Howard, 1897; Phthorimaea argentinae Povolný, 1989;

Phthorimaea operculella, also known as the potato tuber moth or tobacco splitworm, is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is an oligophagous insect that feeds on the plant family Solanaceae and is especially known for being a major pest of potato crops.^[1] Currently farmers utilize insecticides, parasites, and sprinkler irrigation in order to prevent P. operculella from infesting their croplands.

The potato tuber moth also has a rare oviposition process where the ovipositor contains sensors that pick up on chemical signals given off by the host plant. Therefore, the adult female moth only needs to be within the vicinity of a host plant to lay her eggs.

^ Fenemore, P. G. (1988-01-01). "Host-plant location and selection by adult potato moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): A review". Journal of Insect Physiology. Host Finding and Feeding in Adult Phystophagous Insects. 34 (3): 175–177. doi:10.1016/0022-1910(88)90047-9.

[:0-1] Fenemore, P. G. (1988-01-01). "Host-plant location and selection by adult potato moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae): A review". Journal of Insect Physiology. Host Finding and Feeding in Adult Phystophagous Insects. 34 (3): 175–177. doi:10.1016/0022-1910(88)90047-9.

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