Pectinophora

Pectinophora is a genus of moths in the family Gelechiidae. The genus includes several species, the best known being Pectinophora gossypiella, commonly called the pink bollworm, a major pest of cotton and other Malvaceae species. Adults are small moths with a wingspan of roughly 12–18 millimeters. The forewings are typically pinkish with darker markings, while the hindwings are lighter. The larvae are pale pink with a brown head and can reach about 15–20 millimeters in length.

The pink bollworm has a complete metamorphosis life cycle: eggs are laid on flowers, squares, or bolls; larvae bore into cotton bolls and seeds, causing boll injury, reduced fiber quality, and yield losses; after feeding, larvae pupate in the boll or surrounding debris.

Geographic distribution is broad in warm cotton-growing regions. It is native to parts of Asia but has spread to Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, and parts of Europe due to movement of infested materials. It is regarded as a major agricultural pest and quarantine concern in many countries.

Management of Pectinophora species typically involves integrated pest management strategies: monitoring with pheromone traps to detect adults, cultural practices to reduce host availability, use of resistant or Bt-expressing cotton varieties where appropriate, targeted chemical controls, and biological methods such as sterile insect technique and parasitoid agents.