(Lycopersicon esculentum), and bell peppers (Capsicum annuum). Parental care Oviposition The ovipositor of the P. operculella is approximately 1.5mm in length and 0.3mm in width. On either side of the ovipositor are approximately 30-40 tapering hairs that range from 0.03-0.3mm in length. At the tip of the ovipositor are more smaller hairs that are spaced evenly over the area. The female potato tuber moth does not require to be on top of or inside a host plant in order to mate and lay eggs. However, full fecundity is only achieved when the moth is in the vicinity of a preferred host plant. Female adult moths look for surface depressions (cracks) that are just large enough to contain her eggs, typically 0.2-0.5 mm squared. Hairy and textured surfaces are preferred over smooth and waxy surfaces. Females also strongly prefer dry places to lay her eggs and studies have shown that total number of eggs laid is reduced in the presence of moist surfaces. Shade is also preferred over bright light. Experiments published in the Entomological Society of America conducted on adult potato tuber moths have shown that the number of eggs a female contains at emergence is less than the total number of eggs laid over the total lifespan and therefore further maturation of eggs takes place during the adult life phase and depends on the amount of resources, such as food and water, that the adult is able to forage. Host plant selection Adult female moths prefer to oviposit on host plants from the family Solanaceae. The ovipositor contains both mechano and chemo-sensory receptors that look for certain chemical factors from plants in order to help the female moth determine which plants are preferred. A study by P. G. Fenemore from Massey University shows that potato tuber moths are drawn to an amino acid in potatoes called L-glutamic acid and that this plays a key role in helping determine plant selection for oviposition. Life history Egg Adult female P. operculella can lay over 200 eggs over their lifespan, depending on environmental conditions. The eggs are typically oval in shape, smooth, and have a pearly white to yellowish color. The eggs usually take around five days to hatch. The eggs can be laid on the soil next to a preferred host plant, but they are typically laid next to a vein on the leaf, between the bud and the stem, or