New moth species invades Italy's vineyards

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17139837
This article discusses the recent identification of a new species of leaf miner moth, that has been feasting on chardonnay leaves in Northern Italian vineyards since its introduction in 2006. It was formerly confused with a close relative, Antispila ampelopsifoliella; a North American species that has a dietary preference for Virginia Creepers; until further investigations were performed. A genetic analysis method called " DNA barcoding" has provided evidence of its unique identity, earning the species, Antispila oinophylla, a place in the journal ZooKeys. The economic impact this may have for Italy has not yet been determined, but observations have shown that range and population size of this species have increased since it was first recorded.
From previous science courses I have learned that the number of species in existence can not even be approximated to a reasonable degree by scientists, so it is very exciting to hear when a new organism is discovered. Although the existence of this pest may have little relevance to the majority of us, it is the potential for new biological discoveries that interests me. Very little is known about this species, but we never know how the unique characteristics of any organism -their inherent resistance to certain chemicals, their adaptations or evolutionary history, and the effect they have on other living things- will open doors for experimentation or practical application.

The fact that this species is easily confused with other species that are similar to them makes me wonder about other species in the world that may be confused with similar species. Although the effects of this species have not been researched to a large extent yet, the fact that they reside on the grapes used to make some of the worlds finest wines is foreshadowing that some kind of economic impact must come from their existence. So what about the other species that are still unknown to humans? Could they be having some kind of unsuspecting effect on our world? As research into the existence of more species continues, it will be interesting to see the kind of explanations for phenomena occuring throughout the world that scientists of all types come up with.

I’m guessing that this newly discovered species will have to be controlled because its population is growing and spreading and since they like to eat the leaves of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Muscat grapes, it will mostly likely affect the wine industry in Italy. There’s an estimated 8.7 million species on Earth and staggering 86% of land species and 91% of marine species have yet to be discovered. And like you mentioned Belinda, these unknown species could provide us with numerous uses. It’s kind of unnerving that these unknown species could be affecting us without us even knowing about it. Who knows, maybe there’s something that’s preventing vegetation from growing in certain areas of Africa. This would have a very negative affect on humans and other animals living around those areas. If those species weren’t there, plants and stuff would able to grow, and then that would be a source of food.