Carnation Tortrix

Cacoecimorpha pronubana

1. Identification

• Common name: Carnation tortrix
• Scientific name: Cacoecimorpha pronubana Hübner
• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Tortricidae

2. Pest description

• Yellowish-green caterpillars, very mobile, that roll up leaves with silken threads.
• Adults with brown forewings with light spots and orange hindwings.
• Attacks leaves, shoots and young fruits.
• Polyphagous species, common in horticultural, ornamental and fruit crops.

3. Main hosts

• Carnation.
• Strawberry.
• Citrus.
• Apple.
• Pear.
• Grapevine.
• Various ornamentals and horticultural crops.

4. Symptoms and damage

• Leaves rolled up and bound together with silken threads.
• Borings and consumption of the leaf blade.
• Damage to shoots and young fruits.
• Reduced vigour and production.
• Significant economic losses in ornamental and horticultural crops.

5. Biological cycle

• Several generations per year in a mild climate.
• Eggs laid in clusters on leaves.
• Caterpillars develop through 5 instars.
• Pupation inside rolled-up leaves.
• Adults active during much of the year in greenhouses and coastal areas.

6. Monitoring

• Observation of rolled-up leaves and presence of caterpillars.
• Inspection of damage to shoots and young fruits.
• Monitoring with pheromone traps to detect flights.
• Assessment of the intensity of attack throughout the crop cycle.

7. Management measures

• Cultural: removal of attacked leaves and shoots, destruction of crop residues and improvement of ventilation in greenhouses.
• Biological: use of Bacillus thuringiensis on young caterpillars and conservation of natural enemies.
• Integrated protection: monitoring with pheromones, interventions only when justified and judicious application of authorised insecticides.

Bibliographic references

• EPPO Global Database – Cacoecimorpha pronubana.
• CABI Invasive Species Compendium – C. pronubana.
• Witzgall, P., Kirsch, P., & Cork, A. (2010). “Sex pheromones and their impact in pest management.” Journal of Chemical Ecology.
• Arnó, J., & Gabarra, R. (2011). “Biology and management of tortricid pests in horticultural crops.” Integrated Pest Management Reviews.
• Alford, D. (2007). Pest management in horticultural and ornamental crops.