Omnivorous leaftier
Cnephasia longana
2 host plants
Last updated
You will see Strawberry tree leaves tied or rolled with silk webbing produced by small caterpillars feeding within. Larvae are pale with brown or tan heads. Heavily infested foliage appears damaged and webbed. This tying moth is specialized to Mediterranean Arbutus unedo, an evergreen ornamental with red fruits. Damage is primarily cosmetic and concentrated on new growth in spring and early summer.
Remove webbed leaves by hand when present. This is a localized pest on Strawberry tree and requires control only if aesthetics are a priority. No chemical treatment is typically justified. Maintain Strawberry tree vigor through proper irrigation and well-drained soil. Natural enemies parasitize larvae. Most trees tolerate tying moth populations without health impact.
Quick Reference
The omnivorous leaftier is the caterpillar of a bell-shaped tortricid moth. The small larvae tend to be quite active when disturbed, often wiggling vigorously backwards or dropping from the plant on a silk thread. The caterpillars tie foliage together with webbing and feed inside the protective nest. The omnivorous leaftier also commonly feeds on foliage and flowers of cultivated flowers including asters, heather, chrysanthemum, and gladioli, as well as on strawberry fruit and legumes. Female moths typically lay eggs on bark or rough wood.
Cultural Controls
- -cultural control Floating row covers placed over the plants after spring growth begins, and removed after bloom begins, will exclude larvae.
- Remove any webbed leaves or larvae that are found.
- Management-