Leaf tier
(Acleris curvalana)

Overview

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The species Acleris curvalana is commonly known as the Leaf Tier and is a common pest to blueberry orchards of Canada. The leaf tier can result in serious infestation in commercial fields and emphasizes the importance of early control to prevent crop damage and loss. 

Main description

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The eggs of the Leaf Tier are very small, usually measuring approximately 0.3 mm in diameter. They are initially white in colour but will turn brown after three days. The larvae are cream coloured with a black head, and as they mature, they turn yellowish with a brown head. The adult moth is yellow, with orange stripes and quite small (6 mm long).

Scouting

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When scouting for the leaf tier, pheromone traps can be used to determine the level of infestation. Traps should be checked every two to three days from early June to mid August and recorded at the end of the year to determine the average number of moths per trap. This number will indicate whether control methods will be required for the following year. Current action threshold is approximately an average of 750 moths per trap for the trapping season. This number should be divided by the number of sampling