Fig leaf roller

Fig leaf roller belongs to the metalmark moths and was originally found only in the regions around the Mediterranean Sea.

Also known as:
Fig-tree skeletonizer moth
Fig-leaf skeletoniser

recognize fig leaf roller — Fig leaf roller, photo: Hectonichus - CC BY-SA 3.0

Fig leaf roller (Choreutis nemorana) belongs to the metalmark moths (Choreutidae) and was originally found only in the regions around the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, as an exotic species, the moth has also been spotted in Belgium (2009 first sighting) and the first for Britain was in 2014 in London. Since then it has spread to East Anglia, Kent and the Isle of Wight.
The moth lives on and off fig trees (host plant).
In May, the moth lays its eggs on the leaves of the Fig tree. The caterpillars live in a web and eat the mesophyll of the leaves. The leaf curls over in the process. The veins and underside of the leaf remain intact (skeletonizing). The moth hibernates in the leaf litter between dead leaves.
Damage from the Fig leaf roller is minor.

Where to find

Control

Prevention