Light Brown Apple Moth
Epiphyas postvittana
This record describes Epiphyas postvittana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 16-25 mm. A really variable moth, the underlying wing colour being various shades of orangey brown and typically but not always, paler towards the shoulder. Gardens, particularly in built up areas. It flies in two generations between May and October. Larva feeds on Evergreen Spindle, fruit trees and deciduous trees and bushes, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas. 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. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Epiphyas postvittana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphyas postvittana.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Leafroller Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Archipini
- Genus
- Epiphyas
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Gardens, particularly in built up areas.
Seasonal Activity
It flies in two generations between May and October.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Larva feeds on Evergreen Spindle, fruit trees and deciduous trees and bushes, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas.
Additional species information
Recorded status
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. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Epiphyas postvittana. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Light Brown Apple Moth (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Light Brown Apple Moth
What is Light Brown Apple Moth?
Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Light Brown Apple Moth found?
Habitat: Gardens, particularly in built up areas.
When is Light Brown Apple Moth active?
Light Brown Apple Moth: seasonal activity - It flies in two generations between May and October..
What is the life cycle of a Light Brown Apple Moth?
Larva feeds on Evergreen Spindle, fruit trees and deciduous trees and bushes, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas.