Tortricidae : Tortricinae
Light Brown Apple Moth
EPIPHYAS postvittana (Walker, 1863)
Light Brown Apple Moth
EPIPHYAS postvittana (Walker, 1863)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: Male-16-21mm : Female 17-25mm
Worldwide Distribution: Australia : Introduced into Great Britain : New Caledonia : N America : New Zealand
UK Distribution: Common-Accidental introduction into Cornwall now spreading northwards : Abundant where found
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Prefers gardens but can be found in other habitats
Similar Species -
Larva: Polyphagous-Feeding on numerous plant genera : Yellowish-green in appearance : Fully grown larvae 10-20mm : 5-6 instars : The larva feeds by building itself a leaf tent sewn together with silk and slowly emerges to feed on the remainder of the leaf,retreating back into the safety of the tent when disturbed-see larva photos below
Pupa: Pupates within larval nest in approximately ten days
Observation: Introduced by accident from Australia into Cornwall in 1936 this moth has increased both eastwards and northwards and now,where seen can appear in vast numbers.
The moth larvae is polyphagous feeding on a wide range of larval food plants throughout it worldwide range as can be seen from the enormous list below.
As the larvae feed on Crab Apple and Paradise Apple it may be considered that these plants gave rise to its common name and in some instances, in a good year, causes considerable damage to fruit trees.
In Britain, cold winters can cause a considerable reduction in numbers.
Worldwide Distribution: Australia : Introduced into Great Britain : New Caledonia : N America : New Zealand
UK Distribution: Common-Accidental introduction into Cornwall now spreading northwards : Abundant where found
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Netherlands & Great Britain Only
- Tortrix postvittana Walker 1863
- Epiphyas eucyrta Turner, 1927
- Australia-Hobart
Habitat: Prefers gardens but can be found in other habitats
Similar Species -
- Philedone gerningana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) (Male)
Larva: Polyphagous-Feeding on numerous plant genera : Yellowish-green in appearance : Fully grown larvae 10-20mm : 5-6 instars : The larva feeds by building itself a leaf tent sewn together with silk and slowly emerges to feed on the remainder of the leaf,retreating back into the safety of the tent when disturbed-see larva photos below
Pupa: Pupates within larval nest in approximately ten days
Observation: Introduced by accident from Australia into Cornwall in 1936 this moth has increased both eastwards and northwards and now,where seen can appear in vast numbers.
The moth larvae is polyphagous feeding on a wide range of larval food plants throughout it worldwide range as can be seen from the enormous list below.
As the larvae feed on Crab Apple and Paradise Apple it may be considered that these plants gave rise to its common name and in some instances, in a good year, causes considerable damage to fruit trees.
In Britain, cold winters can cause a considerable reduction in numbers.
Photo Gallery
Larva
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note:-The larvae of the Light Brown Apple Moth is known to feed on at least 250 different plants from 50 plant families and 120 genera
Note:-The larvae of the Light Brown Apple Moth is known to feed on at least 250 different plants from 50 plant families and 120 genera
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website
where further information like photos,physical
characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal
uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
- Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Araliaceae - Aralia - Ivy Family
- Hedera helix - Ivy
- Brassicaceae - Mustards - Mustard Flowers - Cabbage Family
- Brassica oleracea v capitata - Cabbage
- Celastraceae - Staff Vine - Bittersweet Family
- Euonymus japonicus - Evergreen - Japanese Spindle
- Cucurbitaceae - Melon - Squashes - Gourds Family
- Cucurbita pepo - Pumpkin
- Cupressaceae - Cypress Family
- Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Acacia koa - Koa
- Acacia nilotica - Egyptian mimosa
- Cytisus scoparius - Common Broom
- Medicago sativa - Alfalfa
- Ulex europaeus - Gorse - Furze - Whin
- Lamiaceae - Labiatae - The Mint Family
- Salvia officinalis - Sage
- Iridaceae - Iris Family
- Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora - Montbretia
- Pinaceae - Pine Family
- Picea sitchensis - Sitka Spruce
- Pinus radiata - Monterey Pine
- Pseudotsuga menziesii - Douglas Fir
- Plantaginaceae - Plantain Family
- Plantago lanceolata - Ribwort Plantain
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Rumex obtusifolius - Round-leaved Dock - Broad-leaved Dock
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Fragaria x ananassa - Strawberry
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Malus sylvestris - Crab Apple
- Prunus persica - Peach
- Rubus fruticosus - Bramble - Blackberry
- Rubus hawaiiensis - Hawaii blackberry
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Populus nigra - Black Poplar - Lombardy Poplar
- Sapindaceae - Soapberry Family
- Dodonaea viscosa - Native Hops
- Solanaceae - Bedstraw Family
- Capsicum annuum - Sweet Pepper
- Valerianaceae - Valerian Family
- Centranthus ruber - Red Valerian
- Scrophulariaceae - Figwort Family
- Buddleja davidii - Summer Lilac - Butterfly Bush
- Thymelaeaceae - Lianas Family
- Wikstroemia degeneri - Oahu fasle ohelo
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Baccharis - Aster / Chrysanthemum /Pulicaria & Wilkesia - Asters
- Aizoaceae - Mesembryanthemum - Fig Marigolds
- Dennstaedtiaceae - Pteridium - Ferns
- Ericaceae - Vaccinium - Edible Berries
- Escalloniaceae - Escallonia
- Euphorbiaceae - Euphorbia - Spurges
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - Medicago - Medics - Pahaseolus - Wild Bean
- Hyperaceae - Hypericum
- Iridaceae - Tritonia - Iris
- Lamiaceae - Labiatae - Lavendula - Lavender / Mentha - Mint
- Lomandraceae - Lomandra - Rushes
- Myrtaceae - Melaleuca - Myrtles - Eucalytus - Gum Trees
- Oleaceae - Jasminum - Jasmine / Ligustrum - Privet
- Polygonaceae - Polygonum - Docks
- Proteaceae - Persoonia - Geebungs - Banksia - Australian Wildflowers - Grevillea - Spider Flowers
- Rosaceae - Pyracantha /Pyrus - Pears
- Rutaceae - Citrus - oranges & Lemons etc / Correa / Boronia
- Santalaceae - Santalum - Sandlewood
- Urticaceae - Urtica - Nettle - Pipturus - Australian Nettles
- Valerianaceae - Centranthus - Valarian
- Verbenaceae - Lantana
- Vitaceae - Vitis - Grape
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Wikstroemia degeneri - Oahu fasle ohelo
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - EPIPHYAS: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Tortricoidea Tortricidae Tortricinae Archipini EPIPHYAS Turner, 1927 Epiphyas postvittana (Walker, 1863) - Epiphyas eucyrta Turner, 1927 - TORTRIX postvittana Walker 1863 = Teras basialbana Walker, 1863 = Pandemis consociana Walker, 1863 = Dichelia retractana Walker, 1863 = Dichelia reversana Walker, 1863 = Teras scitulana Walker, 1863 = Teras secretana Walker, 1863 = Dichelia foedana Walker, 1863 = Dichelia vicariana Walker, 1869 = Tortrix oenopa Meyrick, 1910 = Tortrix pyrrhula Meyrick, 1910 = Tortrix stipularis Meyrick, 1910 = Tortrix dissipata Meyrick, 1922 = Tortrix phaeosticha Turner, 1939 = Dichelia vicaureana Bradley, 1956 - Walker,1863, Cat.Lep.Het. B.M.28: 297 Teras - Hobart,Australia |