Living inside baskets: a new fruit tree host for Oiketicus kirbyi Guilding, 1927 (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in Brazil

Abstract

The bagworm Oiketicus kirbyi is an extremely polyphagous insect pest that attacks several crops of economic importance in various Brazilian regions. In this paper, we are made the first record of O. kirbyi in Maranhão state, northeast Brazil region. Additionally, the Jabuticabeira tree Plinia grandifolia, an economically important Brazilian fruit tree, is presented as a new fruit tree host for O. kirbyi. Two larvae specimens of this species were collected in a garden of a residential condominium, on an individual of the P. grandifolia. This found is of great importance given the economic relevance of Jabuticabeira tree and the high level of damage that can be caused by O. kirbyi larvae on fruits production.