| Beech moth | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult of Cydia fagiglandana | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Tortricidae |
| Genus: | Cydia |
| Species: | C. fagiglandana |
| Binomial name | |
| Cydia fagiglandana (Zeller, 1841) | |
| Synonyms | |
Cydia fagiglandana, the beech moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae.
This species is present in most of Europe. [3] These moths mainly occur in beech woodland [4] since it is a specialist with beech seeds as the major food of its larvae. [5]
Cydia fagiglandana can reach a wingspan of 12–16 mm. [4] The forewings are brown-black irrorated with whitish, crossed by pairs of fine dark brown stripes. The basal patch is slightly darker, the edge sharply angulated. There are two leaden-metallic streaks from costa posteriorly and a large darker coppery-tinged terminal patch hardly reaching costa. The ocellus within this patch is edged with leaden-metallic, enclosing some blackish marks. The hindwings are fuscous. The larvae are light yellowish or whitish, longitudinally clouded with orange; spots orange; head pale brownish; plate of 2 pale ochreous. [6] This species is rather similar to Cydia splendana . [4]
The moth flies from April to September depending on the location. [4] They are active in the evening. The larvae feed sometimes on oak ( Quercus ilex , Quercus robur ), [7] but usually on beech nuts ( Fagus sylvatica ). [4] The larval stage may last for two years. Pupation usually occurs in a cocoon spun in the soil or in rotten wood. [8] The first adults emerge in late spring.
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