Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
LIFE HISTORY
Adults occur from June to August. Eggs are deposited
singly or in small batches on the leaves of host plants.
Larvae feed from August onwards, each inhabiting a
silken tube and eventually hibernating in a silken retreat
spun on the bark, often close to a bud. Activity is
resumed early in the following spring. The larvae then
invade the opening buds and, later, each feeding within
a tightly woven tent of young unfurling leaves. Pupation
occurs in the larval habitation, usually in June.
LIFE HISTORY
Adults occur mainly in May and June, depositing eggs
on the leaves of host plants. The larvae feed from July
onwards, typically inhabiting a folded leaf or tightly
rolled tube of spun leaves. Feeding is completed in the
autumn. Larvae then hibernate in the larval habitation or
in a silken cocoon formed amongst fallen leaves, and
pupate in the following spring.
DAMAGE
Larval habitations cause noticeable distortion of
terminal shoots and affect the quality of young trees and
shrubs.
DAMAGE
Direct damage to leaves and shoots is relatively
unimportant, but attacked buds wither and die.
Tortricodes alternella
(Denis & Schiffermüller)
(
703-704
)
syn.
T. tortricella
(Hübner)
Minor infestations of this widely distributed and locally
common species sometimes occur on ornamental trees
growing in the vicinity of mixed deciduous woodlands.
The larvae (up to 15 mm long) are reddish brown, with
mottled, yellowish-brown prothoracic and anal plates,
and prominent white or yellowish-white pinacula. They
feed in May and June on the leaves of hornbeam
(
Carpinus betulus
) and oak (
Quercus
), each sheltered
by a folded leaf edge or spun leaves. Larvae also attack
various other trees, including birch (
Betula
), hawthorn
(
Crataegus
), hazel (
Corylus
) and lime (
Tilia
). Fully
grown larvae pupate in tough, silken cocoons formed in
the soil or amongst debris on the ground, and remain
in
situ
throughout the winter. The rather drab, brownish-
coloured adults (19-23 mm wingspan), emerge in the
following February or March, but later in more
northerly areas. The males fly rapidly in sunny weather,
whereas females usually remain at rest on tree trunks.
Both sexes are active at night.
Syndemis musculana
(Hübner) (
701-702
)
Autumn apple tortrix moth
A generally common but minor pest of birch (
Betula
),
oak (
Quercus
),
Rubus
and other plants; infestations
sometimes occur on nursery plants, including conifer
seedlings. Eurasiatic. Widely distributed in Europe.
DESCRIPTION
Adult:
15-22 mm wingspan; fore wings white to
greyish, suffused with black and marked conspicuously
with dark brown.
Larva:
up to 22 mm long; olive-green
to blackish brown but paler below, with distinct, pale
pinacula; head yellowish brown to brownish orange;
prothoracic plate greyish brown to yellowish brown,
characteristically marked posteriorly with black; anal
plate yellowish brown or greenish.
701
702
701
Adult of autumn apple tortrix moth (
Syndemis
musculana
).
702
Larva of autumn apple tortrix moth (
Syndemis
musculana
).
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