Peach Twig Borer – Anarsia lineatella

Peach Twig Borer (Anarsia lineatella)

Latin Name: Anarsia lineatella

Common Name: Peach Twig Borer

Appearance:

• Peach twig borer larvae seem almost white with a distinct black head. As the larvae get older, they turn a chocolate brown with dark and light stripes alternating across the abdomen.
• The adult moth is about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long (8 to 12 mm)—steel grey with white and black scales.
• Pupae are around 0.25 to 0.4 inches long, brown in colour, and do not have a cocoon.
• Pupation occurs in the tree’s protected areas and the stem cavity of contaminated fruit on rare occasions.
• Mature larvae are around 0.5 inches long, are brown in appearance, and do not have a cocoon. The forewings of adult moths are steel grey and speckled and are 0.3 to 0.4-inch in length.

Host Plants: apricot, peach/nectarine almond, and plum

Territory: It is commonly found in Europe

Damages caused by Locust Twig Borer:

The first indication that the peach twig borer is in the orchard may be wilting or flagging new shoots in the spring. The overwintering larvae burrow down the vulnerable branches as buds develop and new leaves form, causing them to wilt and die. They can cause serious harm to young trees or nursery stock in large numbers. The larvae of subsequent generations eat shoots or fruit. They attack fruit at the end where two fruits come together or leave contact with the fruit. They may also graze along the fruit’s sides, disfiguring it.

Description about Leaf chewers:

Insect chewing damage to plants can take numerous forms. Foliage or flowers may vanish when certain insects eat them. Occasionally, the plant will appear ragged and, upon closer inspection, will reveal bitten edges or cores. Plants can be cut at the root and topple over, or twigs can be girdled and die as a result. Mining or boring is the process of causing harm to a plant through chewing. Only the upper or lower surfaces are sometimes destroyed, producing a brown, burned look or skeletonization (openings between the veins).

Life History and Habits:

The borer spends the winter as a larva in tunnels dug into the crotches of twigs and branches. These overwintering sites can be recognised by the small chimneys of frass (excrement) and wood chips generated by the larvae feeding. Larvae feed on buds and young leaves before digging into a shoot at the pink bud stage. These larvae eventually pupate and depart the mined stalk. Adults appear between mid-and late May. Fruit, shoots, and the undersides of leaves are where eggs are placed. The eggs range in colour from yellowish-white to orange. The eggs hatch and the larva eat on shoots and immature fruit as they grow. Some larvae from this flight survive the winter, while others develop a partial third flight.