Leuroperna sera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leuroperna sera |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Plutellidae
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| Genus: |
Leuroperna
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| Species: |
L. sera
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| Binomial name | |
| Leuroperna sera (Meyrick, 1885)
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The Leuroperna sera is a small moth that belongs to the Plutellidae family. A scientist named Edward Meyrick first described this moth in 1885. You can find it in many parts of the world, including Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Australia.
Contents
Meet the Leuroperna sera Moth
What Does It Look Like?
Adult Leuroperna sera moths are quite small. Their wingspan is about 10 millimeters (which is about 0.4 inches). They look a bit like another common moth, the Plutella xylostella. However, you can tell them apart because Leuroperna sera has wider wings.
The caterpillars of this moth are about 10 millimeters long when fully grown. Their heads have many tiny blackish-brown dots. Their bodies are usually green or yellowish. They also have thin red or pale red lines running along their backs and sides.
When a caterpillar is ready to change, it becomes a pupa. The pupa looks very similar to the Diamondback moth's pupa. But the Leuroperna sera pupa has special hooked hairs. It also has a shorter mouthpart compared to its middle leg. The pupa forms a white, net-like cocoon. This cocoon is often found on the underside of a leaf.
What Do They Eat?
The caterpillars of the Leuroperna sera moth are known to eat many types of plants. They especially like plants from the crucifer family. These are important food plants that humans grow.
Some of their favorite foods include:
- Brassica juncea (a type of mustard plant)
- Brassica napus (rapeseed or canola)
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Chinese cabbage
- Radish
- Turnip
They also feed on many wild plants that belong to the same family. Sometimes, the caterpillars of Leuroperna sera and Diamondback moths can be found eating on the same plants.
Where Do They Live?
This moth is found in many different countries. Its home range includes:
