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Cydia fagiglandana

Large beech piercer

Description

Cydia fagiglandana, also known as the large beech piercer, is a small moth species primarily found in beech woodlands across Europe. Adults have a wingspan of 12–16 mm, with brown-black forewings marked by fine dark stripes and metallic streaks, making them visually similar to Cydia splendana but with less contrasting colors. The larva, light yellowish with orange spotting, feeds inside beech nuts (Fagus sylvatica) and occasionally targets acorns and chestnuts – trees Quercus and Castanea. The larvae develop within the nuts, filling them with frass. In certain cases, larvae move between fruits, if the initial nut is insufficiently large. C. fagiglandana pupates in the soil, with adult emergence starting in late spring. This moth species is widely distributed in European countries, preferring beech-dense habitats where it contributes to nut damage.

Symptom

Infestations appear as hollowed beech nuts, often packed with frass, with a round opening on the nut's surface.

Tree Species: Beech, Oak, Chestnut

Part of a plant- attacked: Fruit / Seed

Pest significance: Harmful

Pest Category: Insects

Invasive Species: No

Present in EU: Yes