Grape leaffolder

Definition

A common name for Desmia funeralis, a crambid moth whose larvae fold and bind grape leaves with silk to form protective shelters while feeding on leaf tissue.

Etymology

From the larval habit of folding grape leaves with silk to create feeding shelters.

Example

Grape leaffolder larvae skeletonize grape foliage from within silk-bound leaf rolls, with multiple larvae often occupying a single folded leaf.

Synonyms

• Desmia funeralis

Related Terms

• Crambidae
• leaf roller
• shelter building
• vine pest
• Desmia

Usage Notes

The common name refers specifically to the larval behavior; adults are nondescript dark moths with white markings. Occasionally confused with other Desmia species and grape leafrollers in family Tortricidae. The species occurs across southern and eastern North America, with range extending to California.