About Hellinsia balanotes (Meyrick, 1908)
Hellinsia balanotes, commonly known as the baccharis borer, is a moth species belonging to the family Pterophoridae. It is native to Guatemala, northern Mexico, and the United States, where it occurs in Arizona, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Maryland. This species has been intentionally introduced to Australia to control the plant Baccharis halimifolia. It was first formally described by Edward Meyrick in 1908. The wingspan of adult Hellinsia balanotes measures 31–42 millimetres, which is equal to 1.2–1.7 inches. Adult moths are active and can be found in flight year-round. The larvae feed on plants in the genus Baccharis — including Baccharis halimifolia, Baccharis salicina, Baccharis neglecta, and Baccharis angustifolia — as well as on the species Pluchea sericea. Larval feeding creates long, narrow galleries inside the stems of the host plants.
