Cryptophlebia illepida (Butler) (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Grapholitini)
Common names: koa seedworm
Synonyms: fulva (var.), suffusa (var.), tetrao (Cryptophlebia), vulpes (Cryptophlebia)
FWL: 4.3–7.9 mm (males); 6.2–9.9 mm (females)
Adults are brown to reddish brown with a dark-brown pretornal spot that is reduced or absent in males. Males have sex scales on the hindwing, hind tibia, and abdomen. Males lack a forewing costal fold.
Male genitalia are characterized by swollen valvae with two large inner spines on the cucullus and several rows of smaller spines along the distal margin. Female genitalia are characterized by a wide, V-shaped sterigma, and two signa in the corpus bursae.
The following account is summarized from Namba (1957)Namba (1957):
Namba, R. 1957. Cryptophlebia illepida (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Eucosmidae) and other insect pests of the macadamia nut in Hawaii. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 16: 284-297., MacKay (1959)MacKay (1959):
MacKay, M. R. 1959. Larvae of the North American Olethreutidae (Lepidoptera). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 10: 1-338. and Zimmerman (1978)Zimmerman (1978):
Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp..
Mature larva approximately 13–20 mm long; head dark brown to black in first four instars, yellowish brown in fifth instar; prothoracic shield light brown except for pale median strip; body yellowish white, turning reddish or pink in the final instar; anal fork is absent.
Other diagnostic features of Cryptophlebia larvae include: T1 prespiracular pinaculum extends below the spiracle; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 numbering 3:3:2(3):2(1):1; SV seta on A8 and A9 bisetose; spiracle on A8 near posterior margin of segment and displaced dorsally; L group on A9 usually trisetose (occasionally bisetose); D1 and SD1 setae on same pinaculum on A9; and D2 setae on shared saddle pinaculum on A9.
Adults of most Cryptophlebia species are superficially similar and are often mixed in museum collections. A genitalic dissection is usually necessary to confirm identity. The three species treated here, C. illepida, C. ombrodelta, and C. peltastica, can be separated by genitalic characters and geographic distribution, as outlined in the following table.
| Species | Male valva | Female sterigma | Distribution |
| illepida | two large spines, multiple rows of marginal spines | wide, V-shaped | Hawaii |
| ombrodelta | three large spines | narrow, V-shaped, separate | Australia, Guam, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Hawaii (int.) |
| peltastica | three large spines, margin densely setose | narrow, ovate, deeply inset | Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Guam (int.) |
Both C. illepida and C. ombrodelta occur in Hawaii; the former is native (Austin and Rubinoff 2025Austin and Rubinoff 2025:
Austin, K.A., Rubinoff, D. 2025. Phylogenetics confirms a unique instance of endemicity in a polyphagous Hawaiian moth pest and uncovers a remarkable new species. Pacific Science. 78(2): 119-137.) and the latter has been introduced. In addition to the genitalic differences listed above, adults of these two species can be separated by a character on the male hind tibia: in C. ombrodelta there is an ovate bare patch that is absent in C. illepida (Austin and Rubinoff 2025Austin and Rubinoff 2025:
Austin, K.A., Rubinoff, D. 2025. Phylogenetics confirms a unique instance of endemicity in a polyphagous Hawaiian moth pest and uncovers a remarkable new species. Pacific Science. 78(2): 119-137.).
Cryptophlebia illepida has only been recorded only from Hawaii. Zimmerman (1978)Zimmerman (1978):
Zimmerman, E. C. 1978. Insects of Hawaii, Volume 9, Microlepidoptera, Part 1. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 881 pp. suspected that it may be an immigrant, although recent molecular data supports it being a native species (Austin and Rubinoff 2025Austin and Rubinoff 2025:
Austin, K.A., Rubinoff, D. 2025. Phylogenetics confirms a unique instance of endemicity in a polyphagous Hawaiian moth pest and uncovers a remarkable new species. Pacific Science. 78(2): 119-137.).
In Hawaii, C. illepida is generally more common in higher elevation forest and natural settings than C. ombrodelta, but can be found down to sea level in lower abundance. It is among the most common and widespread tortricids in Hawaii.
The following account is from Namba (1957)Namba (1957):
Namba, R. 1957. Cryptophlebia illepida (Butler) (Lepidoptera: Eucosmidae) and other insect pests of the macadamia nut in Hawaii. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 16: 284-297. who reared this species from macadamia (Macadamia spp.).
Cryptophlebia illepida completes continuous generations, and adults are present year-round. Females lay eggs singly on the fruit (nut) of the host; as many as 15 eggs may be found on a single fruit. Larvae bore into the husk and are generally not able to penetrate the shell after hardening. Average larval development time is 16 days. Pupation occurs in a tunnel near an exit hole in the husk. Husk damage is often responsible for nut drop prior to to maturity.
This species is an important pest of macadamia, lychee (Litchi chinensis), mango (Mangifera indica), and koa (Acacia koa) in Hawaii. Larvae are moderately polyphagous and have been recorded feeding on a variety of other plants.
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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