Insects - Pests of Ornamental Trees, Shrubs and Flowers - page 267

675

LIFE HISTORY
In England there are two overlapping generations
annually, the adults occurring from May to October,
with peaks of activity in June and from August to
September. Eggs are laid in small batches on the leaves
of various host plants, and hatch in about ten days. The
larvae inhabit spun leaves at the tips of the new shoots;
they occur in June and July, and from September to
April. Pupation takes place in the larval habitation in
May and in August. Under protected conditions the
lifecycle varies and adults may also emerge in late
autumn or during the winter.

675 Poplar shoot-borer moth ( Gypsonoma aceriana ).

DAMAGE
Infestations affect the growth of the shoots and also
spoil the appearance of ornamentals. Attacks are
particularly damaging on young container-grown shrubs
and pot plants.

676

Gypsonoma aceriana (Duponchel) ( 675-677 )
Poplar shoot-borer moth
larva poplar shoot-borer

A pest of poplar ( Populus ), especially balsam poplar
( P. balsamifera ), black poplar ( P. nigra ), Lombardy
poplar ( P. nigra 'Italica') and white poplar ( P. alba ),
including those in nurseries, parks and gardens. Widely
distributed in Europe but most common in more
southerly areas; also present elsewhere, including
eastern Turkey and North Africa.

=

676 Poplar shoot-borer ( Gypsonoma aceriana ).

677

DESCRIPTION
Adult: 12-15 mm wingspan; fore wings creamy white,
marked with grey, each with a well-defined blackish
basal patch; hind wings grey. Larva: up to 12 mm long;
light brown, with a black or brownish-black head and
prothoracic plate; anal plate brown. Pupa: 5-6 mm
long; orange-brown.

LIFE HISTORY
Larvae tunnel within the young shoots and leaf stalks of
poplar during May and June, the presence of a larva
being disclosed by the appearance of a silken,
frass-filled tube that protrudes through a small hole in
the wall of the feeding gallery. Fully grown larvae
pupate in the larval habitation or may vacate the shoots
to pupate amongst litter on the ground or in crevices on
the bark of host trees. The moths occur in July.

677 Frass tube produced by poplar shoot-borer ( Gypsonoma
aceriana ).

DAMAGE
Infested shoots are killed. This may subsequently result
in the development of numerous lateral shoots,
adversely affecting the quality and marketability of
nursery stock.