Flight activity patterns of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera : Gelechiidae)

The potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a serious insect pest of potatoes in South Africa (Visser & Steyn 1999). The larvae attack potato plants and tubers under the soil and in stores and are responsible for losses of up to R40 million per annum to the South African potato industry.