Tortricidae

49.242 Small Spruce Tortrix Epinotia nanana (Treitschke, 1835)

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 4 to 5mm

Habitats: Coniferous plantations, mixed coniferous woodland, parkland and gardens.

Habits: The moth occasionally flies in afternoon sunshine and is easily disturbed from the lower branches of its foodplant. It flies at dusk and later comes to light.

Foodplant: The young larva mines the needles of Norway Spruce and Sitka Spruce, then overwinters while small. In the spring it again mines the needles, moving to the next via a silk tube, retreating to the previous needle to deposit frass. It pupates in a white cocoon in the larval habitation or in the leaf litter.