Tortricidae

49.291 Great Root-borer Epiblema grandaevana (Lienig & Zeller, 1846)

pRDB2

Similar species:

Forewing: 10 to 14mm

Habitats: Disused industrial sites such as old sand-pits, spoil tips and brickyards.

Habits: The moth flies at dusk from one patch of the foodplant to the next. It can be found resting on the foodplants at night. It comes to light.

Foodplant: The larva feeds within the roots of Colt's-foot, Winter Heliotrope and Butterburs. It overwinters in long silk tubes. When full-fed in May the tubes are extended to just below soil level where it pupates. It otherwise pupates in a dense silk-lined chamber in the root, just below the soil surface.