Leafrollers

These caterpillars chow down while rolled up in their leafy shelter.

Leafroller larvae
Leafroller larvae
Gerald J. Lenhard, Louisiana State University, Bugwood.org
Baldcypress leafroller adult
Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Leafrollers, which can feed on leaves and flower buds, are generally minor pests in ornamental nursery crops but can be a serious defoliating pest when populations are high. In spring, small larvae spin webs and feed on new foliage. They can attack a wide variety of trees including deciduous and live oaks, ash, birch, California buckeye, box elder, elm, locust, maple, poplar, and willow. Roses can also be targets.

They get their name from how the caterpillar-form larvae roll a leaf and web it together to form a protective shelter.

Source: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, IPM

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February 2022
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