In general, the adult form has white, slightly iridescent wings with a dark brown band at the outer margin and a characteristic white spot on the forewing, in the discoidal cell (Mally and Nuss, 2010). Some individuals may have a brown anal margin in the forewing and some may be entirely brown, but still show a white forewing spot. The wingspan can reach 4 cm. Adults can reach a lifespan of up to two weeks and are good flyers. During daytime, they tend to rest on the box trees or on other surrounding plants.
Related Farm Practice
- Defoliation
- Feeding
- Damage
- Rest
The larvae of C. perspectalis feed on the leaves of box trees but can attack the bark of the trees, causing them to dry out and die (Leuthardt and Baur, 2013). Typical symptoms include feeding damage on the leaf edges, with sometimes only leaf skeletons remaining. Attendant symptoms are webbing of the branches with frass and residues of moulting such as, black head capsules of different sizes. Heavy damage or repeated attacks lead to total defoliation of the trees, the subsequent attack of the bark causing the death of the tree.