To identify the pest, scientists from the Subtropical Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences collected caterpillars and pupae, raised them in laboratory conditions. And only the butterflies that flew out made it possible to carry out reliable identification of the pest.
«Our studies have shown that hibiscus is damaged by the Asian moth Haritalodes basipunctalis Bremer,» said Natalya Karpun, Chief Researcher of the Plant Protection Department, Doctor of Biological Sciences.
The homeland of the pest is East Asia, Africa, Australia and Oceania. In Russia, it was previously found only in the Far East. Various types of hibiscus, linden, apple, plum and beet were included in the "diet" of the pest.
«It can be assumed that the moth could get into the region with intensified transport flows: from the Russian Far East and from East Asia,» said the Subtropical Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
According to the assumptions of the scientists in Sochi, the insect can give from one to three generations per year.
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