Tea Moth

(Parametriotes theae), a moth of the family Eupistidae (according to other classifications, Coleophoridae or Tineidae).

The moths have lanceolate wings with pointed tips. The front wings have two round dark brown spots, and the hind wings are edged with a long fringe. The wingspread is 9.5–11 mm. The moths fly in July and August. They are active at night; during the day they rest immobile on the shoots of the tea plant. The eggs (60 or 70) are deposited in groups of two to five on leaf stalks or in cracks in the branches. The larvae hatch in ten to 15 days, gnawing their way into the cortex of the tea shrub and making tunnels through it. They feed on the parenchyma, and in the winter they live in the leaves. In the spring the larvae crawl out onto the shoots and gnaw passageways in them. Pupation occurs in late May.

Tea moths are found in Transcaucasia. They are harmful to the tea plant, causing infested shoots to die. Control measures include removing and burning the affected leaves and shoots.