Hantsmoths

One of the most widespread tortricid species in North America, from southern Canada, across the USA and to Mexico and Cuba. It has been introduced to Spain, where it was first recorded in 2000, Portugal, reaching Italy in 2018 and in more recent years has been increasingly turning up in other European countries, including Denmark, Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Belgium (source: Lepiforum). Therefore it would only be a matter of time before the first UK records were made. First recorded in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire on 20 July 2023 (Ent Rec J Var 135: 218-220), with two in Essex on September 2023, illustrated here.

It is highly polyphagous, primarily feeding on decaying vegetable matter, but when occurring in sufficient numbers, larvae will feed on intact leaves and fruit, and in California has become an economically important pest.