Greenheaded Leafroller

Hudson described the species as follows:

The expansion of the wings varies from 7⁄8 inch to 1+1⁄4 inches. The fore-wings of the male are rather broad, the costa strongly arched and the termen distinctly bowed outward and not oblique; dull reddish - brown to bright reddish - brown generally with very obscure blackish markings; there is a very faintly marked basal patch, an indistinct, irregular central band; an indefinite patch below the apex and an obscure discal spot; the outer portions of the wing are often thickly speckled with blackish grey. The hind-wings are pale grey, sometimes slightly tinged with reddish-brown and faintly dappled with darker grey. The female has the forewings longer and narrower and the general colouring usually brighter than the male. This species is extremely variable in appearance with the males possibly having forewings with a large white or pale yellowish spot, alternatively both the males and females can have forewings being ochreous and marbled with dark brown, or finally again both the males and females may have forewings being a dark purplish brown. The females are even more varied than the male. …

P. excessana is native to New Zealand. It is distributed throughout the country including on the Chatham Islands and is regarded as being very common. It has also been introduced to Hawaii and is regarded as an invasive species.

P. excessana has several generations per year. The females lay eggs in a flat oval group that contains approximately 50 eggs. The larvae create a silk shelter on the underside of leaves and as they grow construct a structure in which they live by webbing leaves together. When dislodged from their shelter they drop suspended from a silken thread. The larvae pupate in this structure. Adults are attracted to light and have been collected via a mercury vapour light trap.