Philodoria hibiscella

Philodoria hibiscella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Gracillariidae
Genus: Philodoria
Species: P. hibiscella
Binomial name
Philodoria hibiscella
(Swezey, 1913)
Synonyms
  • Gracilaria hibiscella Swezey, 1913
  • Parectopa hibiscella

The hibiscus leaf miner (Philodoria hibiscella) is a moth of the Gracillariidae family. It is endemic to the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Hawaii.

The larvae feed on Hibiscus arnottianus and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. They mine the leaves of their host plant. The mine starts towards the base of the leaf, proceeding upward irregularly and following the margin for a part of the course, eventually reaching the apex, then following down the opposite margin of the leaf and rapidly widening until the larva has finished its growth. Full-grown larvae are about 9 mm long and pale bluish-green.

The larva breaks through the epidermis to form a white oval cocoon on the surface of the leaf. The pupa is 5 mm long and pale testaceous-greenish. The pupal stage lasts about a week.

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