49.039 : 998 : 4632
Tortricidae : Tortricinae

Light Brown Apple Moth

EPIPHYAS postvittana (Walker, 1863)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
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 -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Netherlands & Great Britain Only
Original Species Name -
  • Tortrix postvittana Walker 1863
Type Species - Epiphyas
  • Epiphyas eucyrta Turner, 1927
Type Locality -
  • Australia-Hobart
Flight Period: Two overlapping broods : All year round
Habitat: Prefers gardens but can be found in other habitats
Similar Species -
  • Philedone gerningana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) (Male)
Ovum: Ova are flat,oval,translucent and appear yellow-white : Deposited in groups on upperside of smooth leaves
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 - 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.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - EPIPHYAS:

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Literary Ref:

Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Tortricoidea
Tortricidae
Tortricinae
Archipini
EPIPHYAS Turner, 1927
Epiphyas postvittana (Walker, 1863)
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Epiphyas eucyrta Turner, 1927
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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
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 Walker,1863, Cat.Lep.Het. B.M.28: 297 Teras
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Hobart,Australia