Identification and Control Methods of the Tea Leaf-tier Moth

One of the boring pests of tea branches and trunks, also known as the tea branch sickle moth and tea stem borer, belonging to the order Lepidoptera, family Yponomeutidae (leaf-tier moths), with the scientific name Casmarapatrana Meyrick.

It is distributed in all tea-producing provinces of China.

Morphology: The adult has tea-brown body and wings, with a body length of 15-20mm and a wingspan of 32-40mm. The forewings are nearly rectangular, with a grayish-black outer margin, a large earth-yellow patch on the inner side, and a small red protruding spot near the center of the wing base. The egg is horseshoe-shaped, about 1mm long, and pale cream-yellow. The larva is slender, with a yellowish-white and slightly purple abdomen, and the dorsal plates of the last two abdominal segments are sclerotized. The pupa is 18-20mm long, yellow-brown, with brown ridges on the anterior and posterior margins of the 4th to 7th abdominal segments.

Life habits: In Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and other provinces, there is 1 generation per year, and it overwinters as mature larvae inside the damaged branches and trunks. In early to mid-April of the following year, pupation begins, and adults begin to appear in late April. They are inactive during the day, often clinging to branches and leaves with the forelegs and middle legs, hanging on the tea bushes. Larvae begin to hatch in early to mid-June. After the larvae mature, they bite a circular emergence hole in the upper part of the branch or trunk, which is sealed with white silk; the tunnel below the opening is filled with flocculent material, and pupation occurs inside.

Control: From June to August, prune out the damaged pest branches, and apply pesticides in combination with the control of other pests.