Thaumatotibia leucotreta and Epiphyas postvittana found in Italy, invasive pests in Europe (Lepidoptera Tortricidae)

The paper reports observations on the distribution, host plants, morphology, and biology related to the false codling moth Thauma-totibia leucotreta (Meyrick) and the light brown apple moth Epiphyas postvittana (Walker), two invasive tortricid pests recently intercepted in Italy. Because the eggs, larvae, and pupae can be associated with fruit and plant material, as well as readily transported, vigilance and early detection methods are critical to minimise the probability of these species' introduction and establishment in Southern Europe.