Carposina rubophaga facts for kids

The New Zealand raspberry budmoth (Carposina rubophaga) is a small moth found only in New Zealand. It belongs to a group of moths called Carposinidae. This moth is known for its larvae, which can cause damage to raspberry and blackberry plants.

What Does the Raspberry Budmoth Look Like?

These moths are quite small, with a wingspan of about 14 to 17 millimeters. That's roughly the size of a small coin!

They can look very different from one another. Some are very light in color, while others are dark brown or dark gray. You might even see some with two dark lines that meet together on their wings.

The front wings of the moth have two noticeable bumps made of scales. One bump is near the front, and a larger one is towards the back. The back wings are usually a creamy color and have long hairs at the very back.

It's often possible to tell the difference between a male and a female moth. Males usually have longer hairs at the end of their body.

Life Cycle: From Egg to Moth

The New Zealand raspberry budmoth goes through different stages in its life, just like many other insects.

The Egg Stage

When an egg is first laid, it's a yellowish-green color. As the egg develops, its color changes to a yellowish-gold. The area under tiny spines on the egg turns orange, and this orange color spreads as the egg gets closer to hatching.

The Larva Stage

The young moth, called a larva (or caterpillar), hatches from the egg. When it first appears, it's only about 1 millimeter long. Its head and the top part of its body are dark, while the rest of its body is a whitish cream color.

As the larva grows, it becomes much larger, reaching about 10 millimeters in length. Its underside can be yellowish-green, depending on what it has been eating.

These larvae are known for being quite destructive. They feed on the buds and fruit of raspberry and blackberry plants, which can cause problems for these crops.