About Platyptilia carduidactylus (Riley, 1869)
Platyptilia carduidactylus, commonly known as the artichoke plume moth, is a moth species in the Pterophoridae family. It was first described by Riley in 1869. This species occurs in New Zealand and North America, where its range extends from Mexico northward into the United States. The wingspan of adult artichoke plume moths measures 19 to 32 mm. In Mexico, adults are active in flight during July; further north in their range, they are active from May through September. The larvae feed on plant species from the genera Arctium, Carduus, Cirsium, Cynara, and Silybum. They are known to be a pest of Cynara scolymus, the globe artichoke. Female artichoke plume moths lay their eggs on the underside of artichoke plants, and the caterpillars can cause significant damage to the plants.
