OLETHREUTID MOTH

any member of the cosmopolitan insect family Olethreutidae (order Lepidoptera), containing several species with economically destructive larvae. The pale larvae roll or tie leaves and feed on foliage, fruits, or nutse.g., Cydia pomonella, the codling moth (previously Carpocapsa, or Laspeyresia, pomonella) and Cydia molesta, the Oriental fruit moth (previously Laspeyresia, or Grapholitha, molesta). Though originally from Europe, the codling moth exists wherever apples are grown. The larvae burrow in the apples and, when fully grown, emerge and pupate under debris or bark or in loose soil. Olethreutids have somewhat square-tipped forewings and fringed hindwings. Wingspan averages 18 millimetres (3/4 inch). They are often known as fruit, or bud, moths. The larvae of the Mexican jumping bean moth (Laspeyresia saltitans) live inside the seeds of certain shrubs (Sebastiania), feeding on the kernels; their movements make the seed jump.