How did the light brown apple moth get to America?

The light brown apple moth is a threat to our fruit, flowers and trees. The Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittanaor LBAM) is native to Australia. The first United States mainland detection was in California in 2007. The greatest damage can occur to agriculture, including backyard gardens.

How do you get rid of light brown apple moths?

Removing mummified fruit and overwintering sites under the vines can reduce populations of these leafrollers. Well-timed spray treatments with a selective insecticide may be warranted if moths are caught in pheromone traps placed inside the vineyard and light brown apple moth larvae are seen feeding on grape clusters.

What eats light brown apple moths?

Recent findings of the pest in California, where it has no natural predators, demonstrate its ability to infest four main U.S. crops: apples, grapes, oranges and pears.

Are brown moths invasive species?

The light brown apple moth (LBAM) is a small invasive moth that was first detected in the continental United States in California in 2007. LBAM represents a serious threat to many facets of US agriculture because it feeds on a variety of agricultural crops and ornamental plants.

Is the light brown apple moth a pest in Hawaii?

In sharp contrast to most affected regions, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture says the moth “has not been a significant pest in Hawaii” and finds it beneficial in a few cases, because it kills some invasive plants, including gorse and blackberry.

What kind of moth is light brown in color?

For the other moth with the same common name, see Clepsis virescana. The light brown apple moth ( Epiphyas postvittana) (often abbreviated to LBAM) is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae . Light brown apple moth adults are variable in colour and may be confused with other leafroller moths and similar species.

What kind of food does the light brown apple moth eat?

It feeds on nearly all types of fruit crops, ornamentals, vegetables, glasshouse crops, and occasionally young pine seedlings. The larvae cause significant damage to foliage and fruit. Early instars feed on tissue beneath the upper epidermis (surface layer) of leaves, while protected under self-constructed silken webs on the undersurface of leaves.

How big are the larvae of an apple moth?

First instar larvae are approximately 1.6 mm long, and final instar larvae range from 10–18 mm in length. The body of a mature larva is medium green with a darker green central stripe and two side stripes. The light brown apple moth is a native insect of Australia.