Taladro de Gerani

Camara Kodak DX6490 con Raynox DCr 250. Flash difusor home made. F8 a 1/750. Spain - Cataluña
Mariposa del geranio, Polilla africana del Geranio, Barrenador de los geranios
Hacia 1.987 llegó a España esta plaga tan dañina llamada Mariposa del geranio, Mariposa africana o Taladro del geranio. En concreto entró por la isla de Mallorca procedente del sudeste de Africa. Se supone que fue mediante un esqueje o maceta infestada con orugas o huevos. Desde ahí se ha ido extendiendo por la mayor parte de la Península Ibérica ocasionando daños muy importantes.

En su lugar de origen tiene enemigos naturales que la frenen y no constituye plaga pero en Europa no ha sido detectado ningún parasitoide ni depredador y eso explica en parte su veloz propagación.

El ciclo del insecto (huevo-oruga-crisálida-adulto) se hace con temperaturas cálidas (20ºC o más). En España esto viene a significar unas 5 ó 6 generaciones al año, desde Marzo a Octubre a grosso modo. Es decir, puesta de huevos, de ellos salen las orugas, éstas tras desarrollarse crisalidan en capullos, salen las mariposas y vuelta a iniciar otro ciclo: puesta de huevos, orugas... Esto se repite 5 ó 6 veces en el año.



El adulto es una mariposa de 2 centímetros de envergadura de alas. Las orugas son de color verdoso claro al principio y se van tornando más oscuras a medida que crecen. Las crisálidas, también peludas, son de color verde claro u oscuro, que se transforma en marrón uno o dos días antes de la eclosión del adulto.

Ponen los huevos sobre los capullos florales o muy cerca. De estos huevos emergen las larvitas que entran enseguida en el capullo, comiendo y vaciándolo. Luego, si hay más capullos prosigue alimentándose de ellos o si no, penetran en el tallo dañándolo de muerte a medida que comen y comen (este es el daño serio). Además, las galerías que hacen también son infectadas por hongos perjudiciales.


It may be seen throughout the summer in hotter regions of the south europa, generally near human habitation and particularly in big cities. It is easy to identify, even in flight, when it has a characteristically pathetic, pointless, jerky motion and nearly always ends up sitting back down where it flew up.

The Geranium bronze is by origin a South African butterfly that feeds on Pelargonium - the plants frequently known as 'geraniums' in their decorative form. It was accidentally introduced into the Balearic Island of Mallorca, Spain, probably in 1987, and since then it has spread to the other Balearic Islands (Menorca and Ibiza) and other countries in southern Europe.

The adult is small and bronze-coloured with a wingspan of about 1.5 to 2.7 cm. The outer margin of the forewings is decorated with white dashes, and there is a white band around the edge of the hindwing. Each hindwing also has a black eyespot and a small 'tail'.

The small (0.5 mm), yellow-white eggs of the butterfly are laid on buds or on the underside of leaves. After emerging from the egg, the tiny (1 mm) larvae bore into the plant, where they feed and develop. They eventually grow up to 1.3 cm in length, and mine the plant, including the stems. The larvae vary in colour between yellow and green, with stiff white hairs, and sometimes have pink markings along their body. The pupae gradually develop a brown mottling and are often found within plant stems, although they also occur on the ground in leaf litter.



The Geranium Bronze butterfly spread to mainland Spain in 1993, and to the south of France in 1997. By December 2000, it had spread widely within the south of France, and has also been recorded in Italy, Belgium and Morocco. Although the butterfly is not established in the UK, the discovery of a breeding population in two private gardens in East Sussex in 1997 indicated that the UK's summer climate is suitable for the development and reproduction of this species. This colony died out, and the Geranium Bronze butterfly is not considered to be able to survive outdoors over winter in the UK. However, the movement of geranium cuttings, or plants, indoors in the autumn could provide it with an opportunity to survive the winter, until plants are returned to their summer sites.