Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
605
Family
BLASTOBASIDAE
A small family of small moths with elongate wings. The
larvae have relatively small abdominal spiracles.
Blastobasis lignea
(Wollaston) (
607-608
)
A minor pest of yew (
Taxus baccata
); also reported
attacking Norway spruce (
Picea abies
). Of subtropical
origin but now widely distributed in Europe.
DESCRIPTION
Adult:
16-18 mm wingspan; fore wings elongate,
yellowish brown, marked with black.
Larva:
up to
10 mm long; purplish brown and rather plump, with a
blackish head and prothoracic plate, and small,
inconspicuous pinacula.
605
Adult of
Hypatima rhomboidella
.
606
LIFE HISTORY
Adults occur during the summer, depositing eggs in
August on yew and, less commonly, on other evergreen
hosts such as Norway spruce. Larvae feed from
September onwards, each sheltering on a shoot within a
cluster of dead or decaying needles held together with
silk. The larvae survive the winter in these habitations,
and complete their development in the spring or early
summer. Although browsing directly on living tissue,
the larvae also feed on decaying leaves and other dead
vegetative matter.
DAMAGE
Larvae cause only slight damage to the needles, and do
not affect the growth of plants.
606
Larva of
Hypatima rhomboidella
.
607
608
607
Adult of
Blastobasis lignea
.
608
Larva of
Blastobasis lignea
.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search