Epiphyas postvittana (Walker, 1863)

light brown apple moth

mainly on dicotyledons

parasite

Larvae among spun leaves.

host plants

extremely polyphagous

Actinidia deliciosa; Camellia; Ceanothus; Citrus; Diospyros; Eriobotrya; Euonymus europaeus; Fragaria; Laurus nobilis; Lonicera; Malus domestica; Mangifera indica; Musa x paradisiaca; Persea americana; Pyracantha; Pyrus; Rhododendron; Ribes; Rubus; Skimmia japonica; Vaccinium; Viscum album; Vitis.

distribution within Europe

Australian species, invasive in New Zealand, Hawaii, California and Europe (starting from England).

notes

Rob Edmunds found that the larva may also bore in lightly spun fruits of spindle. One larva also pupated within a fruit (a second one pupated in a folded leaf edge). This behaviour reminds of Nephopterix angustella, but unlike in that species, no ejected frass was observed.

references

Brockerhoff, Suckling, Ecroyd, ao (2011a), Brown, Epstein, Gilligan, ao (2010a), Edmunds (2022a), Gaona, Grundy, Rodríguez, ao (2020a), Hancock & Bland (2015a), Meijerman & Ulenberg (2000a), Parsons & McGill (2010a), Pérez Santa-Rita, Ros-Prieto, Vieira, ao (2018a).