好多人的车被虫啃了！啃咬痕迹全是边缘光滑的小圆洞……专家提醒

Several car owners in Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu have reported mysterious round holes and tiny bite marks on their parked vehicles, with the culprits turning out to be noctuid moth larvae living on roadside trees.

larvae /ˈlɑːrvi/ （昆虫的）幼虫，幼体（larva /ˈlɑːrvə/ 的复数形）

The damage typically appears as circular holes with smooth edges, as if drilled, along with fine bite marks on plastic parts such as bumpers and trim.

Surveillance footage captured by one car owner shows a grayish brown, sparsely haired larva clinging to the car, repeatedly chewing at the vehicle and trying to bore inward, much like a miniature power drill.

Moth larvae have mouthparts that are adapted to cutting and grinding tough plant fibers. Through repeated use, these mouthparts can wear down. Some vehicle plastics are apparently within the larvae's chewing ability, making car parts an unexpected target.

The golden rain tree, a common street tree in East China, is prized for its attractive shape and ornamental value. Moths particularly favor laying eggs on the dense undersides of its leaves. Late summer through autumn is the peak season for the larvae, which is also when such car-damage cases are most common.

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