Life history of Lobesia botrana on Daphne gnidium in a Natural Park of Tuscany

Abstract: The life cycle and the ecology of the grapevine moth (GM) Lobesia botrana (Den. &Schiff) feeding on Daphne gnidium L. (to date considered the original host for L. botrana) wereinvestigated in a Tuscan Natural Park in the last 2 years. The studied environment was located 2km away from the beach and hosted numerous shrubs of D. gnidium on which L. botrana hasbeen feeding forever, in the absence of Vitis vinifera. In the mentioned environment the mothseasonal flights were monitored and the larval feeding behaviour along the whole season wasdefined.