Abstract: Leucoptera malifoliella (Costa) is an occasional pest of apple and pear in China. This article reviews its damage and host plants, morphology, biology, natural enemies and control techniques, based upon literatures and our research. The moth occurs 4 generations a year in Beijing. Adult emergence starts in the spring, at the ‘pink bud’ stage of apples, and lasts for about one month, with the peak period at the apple florescence. The caterpillars undergo three larval instars to complete their development, with the average head capsule width of 0.23, 0.33, and 0.44 mm for each instar, respectively. Its outbreak occurred in the Wangjiayuan Orchard in Beijing in 2010. In spring of 2011 in this orchard, a huge number of adults were found in the sex pheromone traps, but very few eggs were found on the leaf. The population thereafter was maintained at a very low level. This is believed to be caused by low humidity for overwintering pupae and then low fecundity for the females. Protection of parasitoids is vital for its control, and measures including removing old and loose barks with the cocoons of pupae, and spraying with chlorbenzuron at egg peak during its outbreak, are also suggested. Color pictures for the damage, adult, egg, larva, cocoon and some parasitoids of this moth are provided.

Key words: Leucoptera malifoliella, morphological characteristics, biology, larval instar, parasitoids, control