Kingdom Animalia Family Cosmopterigidae Scientific name Anatrachyntis badia Rank Species | Class Insecta Genus Anatrachyntis Phylum Arthropoda Order Butterflies and moths | |
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Similar Anatrachyntis, Butterflies and moths, Pyroderces, Cosmopterix pulchrimella, Cosmopterix | ||
The Florida pink scavenger (Anatrachyntis badia) is a species of moth of the Cosmopterigidae family. It is found in the southern United States from Florida to California and as far north as Maryland. It is an introduced species in Europe, where it has been recorded infrequently from Italy, Greece, Spain, Malta and the United Kingdom through accidental importation in pomegranates. It has also been recorded from Hawaii.
The wingspan is 9–10 mm.
The larvae are mainly scavengers, feeding on dry or decaying fruit, dead floral parts, and sooty mold among fruit clusters and under sepals. The larvae have been recorded feeding on cones of several species of Pinus and Cassia pods, dead fruits of peach and loquat, lime, grapefruit, banana, cabbage, coconut blossoms and elm leaves. During summer, larvae may nibble on rind of ripe oranges, often near the stem end or on the sides of fruit in a cluster. The feeding is usually superficial and does not cause appreciable damage.