Tortricidae

49.050 Grey Tortrix Common Grey Tortrix Cnephasia stephensiana (Doubleday, [1849])

Common

Similar species: Cnephasia incertana has similar forms, but is usually smaller (6 to 9mm). Cnephasia asseclana has similar forms and can be of a similar size (7 to 10mm). For a positive identification check the genitalia.

Forewing: 9 to 11mm

Habitats: Open woodland, scrub, hedgerows, marshes and fens, rough grassland and gardens.

Habits: The moth flies from dusk and later comes to light.

Foodplant: The polyphagous larva mines a leaf then overwinters while small. In the spring it spins the leaves of herbaceous plants including Ox-eye Daisy, sow-thistles, hawk-bits, dandelions, docks, plantains, Hogweed, buttercups, vetches, goosefoots and many others. It feeds differently according to the plant; it spins the mature flowers of Bluebell, causing them to distort, or turns down a lobe or spins a leaf of Colt's-foot, causing the leaf to pucker. On other plants it may form a silk tube or fold a leaf. It pupates in its larval habitation or nearby within a spun leaf or flower.