Oiketicus

Adults are small to medium-sized moths with reduced mouthparts. Males have wings; females are often wingless or have vestigial wings. Larvae are recognized by their distinctive basket-like or bag-like portable cases constructed from silk and environmental debris.

Found in gardens, agricultural settings, and areas with woody vegetation. O. kirbyi has been recorded in residential condominium gardens and fruit tree cultivation areas in Brazil.

Americas; O. kirbyi documented in various Brazilian regions including first record in Maranhão state, northeast Brazil.

Larvae are extremely polyphagous, feeding on multiple crops and fruit trees. O. kirbyi has been documented feeding on Plinia grandifolia (Jabuticabeira tree).

• Plinia grandifolia - larval hostNew fruit tree host record for O. kirbyi in Brazil; economically important Jabuticabeira tree

Larval stage constructs portable protective cases. Specific details of pupation and adult emergence are not documented in available sources.

Larvae live inside protective baskets or cases constructed from silk and plant material, carrying them while feeding.

Agricultural pest causing high levels of damage to fruit production on economically important crops.

O. kirbyi is an economically significant pest in Brazilian agriculture, damaging fruit production on multiple crop species.

• Other Psychidae generaSimilar case-building larval behavior; distinguished by case morphology and adult characteristics

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Living inside baskets: a new fruit tree host for Oiketicus kirbyi Guilding, 1927 (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in Brazil