998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana
(Walker, 1863)
Wingspan 16-25 mm.This originally Australian species was probably accidentally introduced into Cornwall in the 1930's and since then has spread quickly northwards, and is now regular in many parts, and very common in some areas.
A pest species in Australian orchards, it is one of the most catholic polyphages in Britain, and should be considered as a possibility when identifying larvae off any plant.
It flies in two generations between May and October.
Hide detail
Larva: (description Ian F. Smith)
Foodplants: All months, in loosely spun leaves of a huge variety of plants.
Length: About 20mm final instar.
Head: Shiny orange brown. Sometimes tinted green, with a black postero-lateral horizontal band. Clypeus and labrum whitish. Five stemmata linked by an arc of brown/black, which encloses a white callus in the stemmatal area. The black sixth stemma stands alone. In plan, the head is squarish with stemmata on its 'corners'.
Prothoracic shield: Shiny, coloured as abdomen, or slightly darker.
Thoracic legs: Coloured as, but paler than, head.
Body: Apple green to olive with, sometimes indistinct, darker dorsal line. Paler ventrally.
Spiracles: Coloured as abdomen. Peritreme may be ochre on T1 and A8.
Pinacula: Paler than integument.
Setae: Whitish.
Anal plate: Coloured as integument with darker indistinct 'v' marks. Anal comb present.
Prolegs: Coloured as abdomen.
Rearing
Keep larva with foodplant in margarine tub out of direct sun. Wipe out condensation with toilet tissue. Larva will feed on and pupate in the foodplant even when withered.
Emerges in about four weeks.