This leafroller moth has a wingspan of approximately .75 inch (1.8 cm). The forewing is a tan color overall with a wide diagonal median band, reddish in the female and blackish in the male. There is a dark brown triangle near the apex. The hindwing is a dirty white to light gray with a pale fringe. This moth was identified by Bob Patterson from the Moth Photographers Group. The caterpillar has a green body with a pale dorsal stripe. The head is yellowish. The mature Iarva grows to 5/8”.
The frequency of occurrence is not now known but it is considered common in the eastern part of the U.S. The first sighting was in Fontenelle Forest on July 9, 2009, when it was photographed at artificial lights near the Wetlands Center. A second one was photographed at the Fontenelle Forest Bioblitz in early June 2014 near the Nature Center coming to artificial lights.
The larvae eat the leaves and fruits of various trees and shrubs including cherry, grape and plum. This moth is considered a serious pest of apple trees. The larva lives in a loose silk shelter it constructs on leaves and among buds. It overwinters as a pupa in folded leaves on the ground. Adults emerge in early spring and fly to mid-September.
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