Epiblema costipunctana (Haworth, 1811) Species
Last modified: Nov. 23, 2025, 5:57 p.m.
A rare species in Belgium.
Details
- Classification
- Family: Tortricidae > Subfamily: Olethreutinae > Tribus: Eucosmini > Genus: Epiblema > Species: Epiblema costipunctana
- Vernacular names
- Kruiskruidzadelmot (NL), Ragwort Root-borer, Ragwort Bell (EN), Greiskraut-Wurzelwickler (DE)
- Synonyms
- Epiblema trigeminana (Stephens, 1834) , Epiblema poecilana (Guenée, 1845) and Epiblema confusana (Herrich-Schäffer, 1856)
- First mention in Belgium
- De Fré Ch. 1858. Catalogue des Microlépidoptères de la Belgique. — Annales de la Société entomologique belge 2: 45–162. On page 82.
- Status
-
Native
Distribution
Imago
Wingspan 13–18 mm. It has well-defined and ferruginous-brown fasciate markings of the forewing, sharply defined costal strigulae and the white subquadrate medio-dorsal blotch which is weakly strigulate and sometimes connected to the costa by whitish striae.
Museum specimens
Specimens in nature
Caterpillar
The caterpillar is carmine red with light brown head, the nape and anal shield are of the same body color, not particularly prominent.
Cocoon/pupa
Bionomics
The larva feeds first in epidermis and later inside the roots. Larvae of the summer generation feed in lower stems. Pupation outside the feeding place. The adults can sometimes be found at rest on the food plant, they fly actively in late afternoon sunshine and later come to light.
Flight periods
The adults fly in one or two generations a year onwards from early May till to late August.
Observed on
- Host plant (species):
- Senecio jacobaea
The larva feeds on Senecio jacobaea and also on other species of Senecio.
Habitat
It inhabits open uncultivated ground, waste ground etc...
