The larvae form [roughly oval shaped] galls on white milkwood (Sideroxylon inerme L., Sapotaceae). The galls, situated about 3 to 5 cm from the tip of young shoots, cause the tips to wilt and die.

From Vermont and Hermanus in the west to Stilbaai in the east, and beyond in South Africa, white milkwood (Sideroxylon inerme L., Sapotaceae) frequently exhibits dead twig tips (Fig. 6). These brown tips are particularly conspicuous during the summer and autumn and become less so only when the dead leaves drop off during winter. New growth appears from April and the shoots extend throughout the winter months. During October some of the young shoots start wilting. The wilted parts eventually die and become conspicuous brown tips. When dead twigs are examined, a roughly oval shaped swelling or gall (sometimes two) can be noticed about 3 to 15 cm from the tip (Fig. 7) from where the drying of the twig started.

Tortricid larvae were observed in the galls from July to November. They produce a copious amount of frass which is retained within the gall (Fig. 8). No pupae were observed, so presumably pupation occurs in the soil. Moths first appeared in March and were relatively abundant from April to July, with many individuals present until September.