911±¬ÁÏ

Adult leek moth is an inconspicuous small (5-6 mm) brown moth. Its larvae (caterpillars) feed within the foliage, stems and bulbs

These are fleshy, rounded, underground storage organs, usually sold and planted while dormant. Examples include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies, onions and garlic. The term is often used to cover other underground storage organs, including corms, tubers and rhizomes. of leeks and related plants including onion and shallot.

Nearly 900 insects, including some flies, beetles, moths and sawflies create leaf mines as larvae in Britain. More information about these insects can be found at .

Damage from leek moth caterpillars appears as;

• White patches developing on the foliage where the caterpillars have eaten the internal tissues
• Tunnels in the stems of leeks and bulbs
  These are fleshy, rounded, underground storage organs, usually sold and planted while dormant. Examples include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies, onions and garlic. The term is often used to cover other underground storage organs, including corms, tubers and rhizomes. of onions, shallots and garlic
• Affected plants often develop secondary rots and young leek plants may be killed

Note that these plants can be affected in a similar manner by larvae of the allium leaf-mining fly (allium leaf-miner) :

• Leek moth caterpillars are creamy-white with brown heads and small legs. They do not usually pupate within plant tissues
• Larvae of the leaf-mining fly are white, headless maggots with no legs. Cylindrical brown 3 mm long pupae are likely to be found embedded in the stems and bulbs

• The female moths can be prevented from laying eggs by covering susceptible plants with insect-proof mesh
• Crop rotation should be practised to prevent potential build-up of moth populations under the mesh. The mesh should be kept in place for the entire growing season
• Encourage natural enemies in gardens; predators such as ground and rove beetles are likely to consume some pupae
• Look for the white, net-like silk cocoons on the foliage and squash them

Leek moth has two generations during the summer with larvae feeding on the plants in May to June and August to October. The second generation is the more numerous. Initially the caterpillars mine the foliage but the older larvae bore into the stems and bulbs

These are fleshy, rounded, underground storage organs, usually sold and planted while dormant. Examples include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies, onions and garlic. The term is often used to cover other underground storage organs, including corms, tubers and rhizomes. .

When fully fed, the caterpillars are 11 mm long. They exit the plant and pupate within net-like silk cocoons that are spun on the foliage. Adult moths emerge in autumn and overwinter in sheltered places.