Apple Pith Moth
Common NameApple Pith Moth
Scientific NameBlastodacna atra
FamilyCosmopterigidae
SubfamilyBlastodacninae
Wingspan (mm)12
Primary Colorsbrown, silver, black, orange
HabitatOrchards, gardens, woodlands, areas with host plants
Geographic RangeEurope, parts of Asia, North America (introduced)
Host PlantsMalus domestica (apple), Crataegus (hawthorn), Pyrus (pear), Sorbus (rowan), Prunus (cherry, plum)
Flight PeriodJune to August
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae bore into the pith of young twigs of host plants, particularly apple, causing damage. They overwinter as larvae within the twigs and pupate in spring, with adults emerging in early summer.
Identification TipsLook for its small size, the characteristic mottled dark and silvery-white forewings with a reddish-brown streak, and its presence in apple orchards or areas with other rosaceous host plants.
Description
A small, slender moth with mottled dark brown and silvery-white forewings, featuring a distinctive reddish-brown streak along the inner margin and scattered raised scale tufts.
