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Mimas tiliae

Lime hawk-moth

Description

Mimas tiliae, commonly known as the lime hawk-moth, is a medium-sized sphingid moth widely distributed across Europe, except for Ireland and parts of the far north. Adults are active from May to July, occasionally extending into September in warmer regions. Females lay eggs on the underside of leaves. The larvae, or caterpillars, feed mainly on linden (Tilia spp.), but also occur on oak, birch, alder, willow, and cherry. The caterpillars develop through the summer and pupate in the soil near the host tree, where they overwinter. Although the number of individuals is usually not high, defoliation caused by larval feeding may temporarily affect the ornamental appearance of host trees in urban areas or parks.

Symptom

On infested trees, there are partially defoliated branches – leaves with rounded or irregular margins and visible frass on lower branches.

Tree Species: Birch, Cherry, Oak, Alder, Lime, Willow

Part of a plant- attacked: Leaf / Needle

Pest significance: Less harmful

Pest Category: Insects

Invasive Species: No

Present in EU: Yes