| Ptycholoma lecheana (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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Scientific name: Ptycholoma lecheana (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: French name: Tordeuse de Lèche Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Microlepidoptera Family: Tortricidae Subfamily: Tortricinae Wingspan: 16-20 mm. Biotope: Forests, clearings and woodland edges. Orchards, copses and hedgerows. Geographic area: Europe, from Portugal to Russia and to Scandinavia. Asia east to Siberia, to China, to Korea and to Japan. Middle-East. Flight time: Late May to July. Number of generations : 1 Caterpillar: Dark green on the upper side with four small light-coloured spots on each segment. The under side and the rear tip are yellowish white. The head is brown and followed by a black thoracic plate. This caterpillar feeds inside rolled leaves. Host plant: Many shrubs and deciduous trees, Maples (Acer), Birches (Betula), Beeches (Fagus), Poplars (Populus), Bird Cherries (Prunus padus), Pear Trees (Pyrus), Oaks (Quercus), Whitebeams (Sorbus), Lime Trees (Tilia), Elms (Ulmus), etc. |
Ptycholoma lecheana shows a dark brown ground colour scattered with yellowish scales. There are various forms from dark brown to much more light-coloured forms like golden yellow. The fore wings are crossed by two almost straight silver-grey stripes. The one closer to the apex of the wing shows a fork towards the margin. The hind wings are blackish brown with a pale fringe. Ptycholoma lecheana winters as a caterpillar at its second development stage. |
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The typical shape of the fore wings first lead to the Tortricidae family. |
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Ptycholoma lecheana is a small moth which is easily told apart. These golden yellow colours are very nice. |
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Here is one moth with less contrasted colours. I have observed it late May like the previous time. |
André Bon March 2021