Leaf crumpler and Mineola moth
Acrobasis spp.
1 host plant
Last updated
Leaf crumpler and Mineola moth caterpillars create distinctive rolled or tied leaf shelters on stone fruit trees like Prunus cerasifera in late spring and summer. The small caterpillars feed within or beneath their silk-lined shelters, causing localized leaf damage and visible webbing. You notice the crumpled or rolled leaves connected with silk webbing; caterpillars remain hidden within unless you open the shelter.
Remove leaf shelters by hand during early to mid-summer before caterpillars complete development. For landscape trees with light infestations, manual removal is often sufficient and practical. Monitor young trees starting in May for shelter formation. If chemical intervention is needed, spinosad or neem oil applied directly to visible shelters targets caterpillars.
Quick Reference
The leaf crumpler is a pest of a wide range of rosaceous plants, including native species like crabapple, ornamentals such as pyracantha and most tree fruits. The adult moth is light brown with a white patch on each wing and several black lines. Mature larvae are pinkish and about 0.5 inch in length. The larvae construct tubes that are attached to twigs of host plants, feeding on developing leaves. They also feed on buds. Second generation larvae burrow into cherries and prunes.