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).