Exotic, but established
Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)
Common names: light brown apple moth (LBAM)
Synonyms: basialbana (Teras), consociana (Pandemis), dissipata (Tortrix), foedana (Dichelia), oenopa (Tortrix), phaeosticha (Tortrix), pyrrhula (Tortrix), retractana (Dichelia), reversana (Dichelia), scitulana (Teras), secretana (Teras), stipularis (Tortrix), vicariana (Dichelia), vicaureana (Dichelia)
FWL: 5.0-11.5 mm (males); 5.5-12.5 mm (females)
Forewings of both sexes are light brown to pale yellow with brown to dark-brown markings. Males are more variable than females, although in most males the basal half of the forewing is lightly marked, the median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing 
is well defined, and there is a dark mark on the costacosta:
the anterior margin of each wing 
distal to the median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing . In California, males tend to be of three phenotypes; the form with solid dark markings on the distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
half of the forewing is the most uncommon. Males have a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
. The female forewing color is more uniform, with a poorly defined median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing and an overall mottledmottled:
having spots or blotches of color
or speckled appearance. Most females have a dark mark on the dorsumdorsum:
the lower (usually posterior) or inner margin 
of each forewing and two dark spots on the posteriorposterior:
after, to the rear, toward anal end 
of the thorax. The hindwing in both males and females is mottledmottled:
having spots or blotches of color with dark scales, although this pattern is usually more evident in females.
Male genitalia are distinctive, and examination of these structures is essential for reliable identification. Males have a combination of the following characters: spatulatespatulate:
spoonlike, narrow basally and enlarged and rounded apically
uncus; reduced sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; short valvavalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation 
with a broad sacculussacculus:
the ventral margin of the male valva 
; membranous lobe on the apexapex:
the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area 
of the valve (the most diagnostic feature); and an aedeagusaedeagus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "phallus" 
with 2-4 deciduous cornuticornuti:
spines used to anchor the male vesica in the female bursa during copulation 
. Female genitalia are typical of many Archipini and females may be difficult to verify based on dissection alone. Females possess a combination of the following characters: simple sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae 
; long, straight ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
which is 2/3 or more the length of the abdomen; and corpus bursaecorpus bursae:
a dilated membranous sac at the anterior end of the bursa copulatrix
with a single, hook-shaped signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
.
The following account is summarized from Brown et al. (2010).
Larvae are generally yellowish green but color may vary with instar and host. Early and mid-instar larvae range from translucent to opaque reddish brown. The head of all instars is pale brown and the prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax 
is approximately the same color as the rest of the body. The head, prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax , and legs of mid- to late instars are not dark and do not have any dark or contrasting markings. The anal shieldanal shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the last abdominal segment (in larvae) 
is pale brownish green and the anal combanal comb:
a toothed structure on the last abdominal segment used to eject frass away from the feeding larva; also termed "anal fork" 
is well developed with 7-9 teeth. First instar larvae are approximately 1.6 mm long, while final instar larvae are 10-20 mm in length.
Chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
is typical of most Tortricidae, with a trisetose L group on the prothoraxprothorax:
the most anterior thoracic segment
; L1 and L2 on a common pinaculumpinaculum:
singular of "pinacula"
below the spiracle on A1-7; L1 anterad of the spiracle on A8; and D2s on a common " saddlesaddle:
in reference to the D2 pinacula on larval segment A9; both setae are on a single, fused pinaculum in the mid-dorsal region of the segment 
" pinaculumpinaculum:
singular of "pinacula" on A9.Typical of most Archipini, the small SD2 pinaculumpinaculum:
singular of "pinacula" is fused with the anterioranterior:
before, to the front, toward the head 
edge of the large SD1 pinaculumpinaculum:
singular of "pinacula" on A1-7; D1 and SD2 are on separate pinaculapinacula:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae
on A9; the L group is trisetose with all setae on the same pinaculumpinaculum:
singular of "pinacula" on A9; the SV group on A1,2,7,8,9 is 3:3:3:2:2; V1s on A9 are nearly the same distance or only slightly further apart than those on A7 and A8. On the head capsule, AF2 and P1 are approximately the same distance apart as P1 and P2.
Adults are similar to other species of Epiphyas as well as many Nearctic Archipini, especially Argyrotaenia franciscana and various species of Clepsis. Males of A. franciscana lack a costal fold.
A dissection can be used to confirm identity. Male E. postvittana have a large membranous lobe on the apexapex:
the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area of the valvavalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation that is not present in most Nearctic tortricids. A membranous lobe is present in many Clepsis (C. fucana, C. peritana, and C. virescana), but the lobe in E. postvittana is much larger and forms a conspicuous notch that is not present in species like C. peritana.
Larvae are similar to those of several other common California tortricids, including Argyrotaenia franciscana and Platynota stultana. Molecular diagnostics may be necessary to positively identify E. postvittana larvae, especially early instars.
The following account is summarized from Brown et al. (2010) and Suckling & Brockerhoff (2010).
Epiphyas postvittana completes 2-4 generations annually over much of its range, depending on temperature and latitude. Populations in California appear to undergo at least four generations and adults are active throughout the year. The upper and lower temperature thresholds for development in laboratory studies are 7.5 and 31°C; 20°C is the optimum for development, leading to a life cycle of 25 days.
Females deposit eggs in masses on smooth surfaces of host plant foliage, including leaves, stems, and fruit. Egg masses vary from 4 to 150 individual eggs. Larvae pass through five or six instars; they can overwinter, but development during cooler months is slower. Early instar larvae feed on the undersides of leaves within a silk chamber. Later instars may fold individual leaves, create a nest of several leaves webbed together, or web leaves to fruit and feed on the surface of the fruit. Larvae on deciduous trees and shrubs feed as long as leaves remain on the host plant and then drop to the ground, where they may feed on understory vegetation or survive in leaf litter. Pupation occurs in the larval nest, and adults eclose in approximately 10 days at 20°C.
Epiphyas postvittana is a polyphagous pest on pome and stone fruits and other horticultural crops. It has been recorded from more than 500 plant species in 121 families and 363 genera, although larvae prefer herbaceous plants over woody ones.
Larvae feed on the leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits of their hosts, but the majority of economic damage is caused by fruit injury. Larvae feed on the surface of fruits under webbed leaves, causing scarring as well as providing a site for rot or infection. In Australia and New Zealand larvae can be a pest on pome and stone fruits as well as other horticultural crops. If left uncontrolled, larval damage to fruit crops in Australia and New Zealand during years of high population densities has been as high as 70% (with a typical range of 5-70%). The following is a partial host list.
View full screen host table here
A native of Australia, E. postvittana occurs in all apple-growing areas of that country. It has been introduced into Tasmania, New Zealand and Hawaii. In Europe, it has been present in the United Kingdom since the mid-1930s and is intermittently recorded from continental Europe, most recently in the Netherlands and Sweden.
Epiphyas postvittana was first discovered in California in 2006. It is currently well-established and has been recorded from 23 California counties. In early 2011, a single adult was captured in Oregon, but an established population has not been found in the U.S. outside of California.
