Bug FAQGreenish Apple Moth
Clepsis virescana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Tortricidae
The greenish apple moth (Clepsis virescana) is a small tortricid with forewings 6.4 to 9.1 mm long. Adults fly from April through September, and the larvae feed on fresh or decaying leaves of Prunus and Rosa species.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Clepsis virescana, also called the light brown apple moth, belongs to the family Tortricidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The forewing length ranges from about 6.4 to 9.1 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers shrubby open areas and aspen parkland.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period spans April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 43 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Oklahoma, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are greenish apple moths active?
Adults are active from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
They feed on fresh or decaying leaves of Prunus and Rosa species.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Tortricidae)
Oblique-banded Leafroller MothChoristoneura rosaceanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Garden TortrixClepsis peritanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common MarbleSyricoris lacunanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Red-banded Leafroller MothArgyrotaenia velutinanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Light Brown Apple MothEpiphyas postvittanaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Aster and Reddish Eucosma Moths and AlliesEucosma parmatanaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clepsis_virescana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.