Tortricidae

49.351 Northern Crescent Grapholita lunulana ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Notable B

Similar species:

Forewing: 5 to 8mm

Habitats: Woodland margins, hedgerows, rough grassland slopes, pastures, embankments and sand-dunes.

Habits: The moth flies in sunshine, sometimes in numbers, especially in the afternoon.

Foodplant: The larva at first mines the stems or spins the leaves of Bitter Vetch, Tufted Vetch, Garden Pea and probably Meadow Vetchling. It later moves to the pods where it feeds on the developing peas. Infested pods show a yellow discoloration at the base and in August remain intact while untenanted pods twist and distort. In August the full-fed larva leaves the pod and spins a cocoon in the soil or leaf litter, although some spin up in the pod. The larva then overwinters and pupates in its cocoon in March.