Insects - Pests of Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Flowers - page 264

Epinotia brunnichana (Linnaeus) ( 665-667 )
A minor pest of birch ( Betula ) and hazel ( Corylus ),
especially young trees; also occurs on broad-leaved
willows such as grey willow ( Salix cinerea ).
Widespread in Europe.

LIFE HISTORY
Larvae shelter and feed within spun shoots of hawthorn
from April to May. Fully fed individuals pupate in loose
cocoons spun within the larval habitation, and adults
emerge in June.

DAMAGE
Larvae cause slight distortion of young terminal shoots
but infestations are unimportant.

DESCRIPTION
Adult: 18-22 mm wingspan; fore wings white, each
more or less suffused with brownish orange and usually
marked with a pale, blackish-edged, dorsal patch; hind
wings pale and brownish. Larva: up to 18 mm long;
greenish grey, with black pinacula; head brownish
black; prothoracic plate greenish brown, paler
anteriorly; anal plate greenish; thoracic legs black.

Epichoristodes acerbella (Walker)
syn. E. ionephela (Meyrick)
African carnation tortrix moth
A native of Africa, sometimes introduced into Europe
on imported carnation ( Dianthus caryophyllus ) cuttings.
Although infestations are usually intercepted by Plant
Health authorities, the pest has sometimes established
itself in greenhouses in parts of northern Europe,
including Denmark and Norway; also, introduced into
parts of southern Europe, including France, Italy and
Spain. Although mainly a pest of carnation, the larvae
also feed on Chrysanthemum , rose ( Rosa ) and various
other plants.

LIFE HISTORY
Larvae feed during May and June, each inhabiting a
transversely rolled leaf (cf. Epinotia solandriana ,
p. 274), and occur most commonly on birch trees. When
fully fed they enter the soil to pupate in silken cocoons.
Moths occur in July and August.

DAMAGE
The characteristic larval habitations attract attention,
particularly if present on young trees, but damage
caused is of no importance.

DESCRIPTION
Adult: 17-20 mm wingspan; fore wings reddish brown
to yellowish, merging into dark reddish brown or
blackish on the hind margin; lighter areas noticeably
speckled with brownish black; hind wings light grey.
Larva: up to 15 mm long; green to yellowish green,
with dark green dorsal and subdorsal lines and whitish
pinacula; head greenish brown, marked with brownish
black; prothoracic plate green, marked with black along
the lateral margin and above the prothoracic spiracle.

Epinotia immundana (Fischer von Röslerstamm)
( 668-670 )
Locally common on alder ( Alnus ) and birch ( Betula ),
and occasionally present on cultivated trees. The larvae
feed from autumn to the following spring, attacking the
buds and catkins. They eventually pupate in silken
cocoons formed amongst leaf debris or in the ground,
and adults occur from April to June. In favourable
districts a small number of larvae feed during the
summer, inhabiting characteristically rolled leaves; such
larvae eventually pupate and produce a partial second
generation of adults in August and September. Adults
(12-14 mm wingspan) are whitish to greyish brown,
heavily marked with black, with a pale angular patch
dorsally on each fore wing. The larvae (up to 10 mm
long) are translucent, greenish grey to yellowish grey,
suffused above with red.

LIFE HISTORY
Eggs are laid on the leaves of carnation in elongate
clusters of about 25, and hatch in about ten days. Larvae
then feed for 4-8 weeks, sheltering within rolled leaves
which they spin together with silk. Pupation occurs
within a silken cocoon spun between the leaves, and
adults emerge 2-4 weeks later. Breeding is continuous
so long as conditions remain favourable.

DAMAGE
Larvae devour leaves and flowers, and also burrow into
buds and stems. They often cause considerable
destruction, and also disfigure and distort plants by
spinning the leaves together.