Tortricidae

49.304 Pine Leaf-mining Moth Clavigesta purdeyi (Durrant, 1911)

Local

Similar species:

Forewing: 4.5 to 5.5mm

Habitats: Coniferous woodland and suburban trees.

Habits: The moth flies around the branches of pines during the evening. It later comes to light.

Foodplant: The small larva mines a needle of Scots Pine, Lodgepole Pine or Black Pine, until October when it overwinters. It continues to feed in the needle in the spring, but when the buds open it bores into a needle sheath, eating the needle bases which causes them to drop. The larva feeds only on the needles, partially defoliating the host trees. It pupates spun to the needles.