The Tortricidae are a

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

s, commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths, in the order

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described speci ...

. This large family has over 11,000 species described, and is the sole member of the

superfamily SUPERFAMILY is a database and search platform of structural and functional annotation for all proteins and genomes. It classifies amino acid sequences into known structural domains, especially into SCOP superfamilies. Domains are functional, str ...

Tortricoidea, although the genus '' Heliocosma'' is sometimes placed within this superfamily. Many of these are economically important pests. Olethreutidae is a

junior synonym The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linn ...

. The typical resting posture is with the wings folded back, producing a rather rounded profile. Notable tortricids include the

codling moth The codling moth (''Cydia pomonella'') is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are major pests to agricultural crops, mainly fruits such as apples and pears. Because the larvae are not able to feed on leaves, they are highly ...

and the spruce budworm, which are among the most well-studied of all insects because of their economic impact.

Description

Tortricid moths are generally small, with a wingspan of 3 cm or less.Hanson, Paul E. (04-11-2018). Insects and Other Arthropods of Tropical America. Cornell University Press. Many species are drab and have mottled and marbled brown colors, but some diurnal species are brightly colored and mimic other moths of the families

Geometridae The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek ''geo'' γεω (derivative form of or "the earth"), and ''metro ...

and Pyralidae.

Life cycle and behavior

Tortricid eggs are often flattened and scale-like. Larvae in the subfamilies Chlidanotinae and Olethreutinae usually feed by boring into stems, roots, buds, or seeds. Larvae in the subfamily Tortricinae, however, feed externally and construct leaf rolls. Larvae in the subfamily Tortricinae tend to be more

polyphagous Feeding is the process by which organisms, typically animals, obtain food. Terminology often uses either the suffixes -vore, -vory, or -vorous from Latin ''vorare'', meaning "to devour", or -phage, -phagy, or -phagous from Greek φαγε ...

than those in Chlidanotinae and Olethreutinae. Tortricinae also possess an anal fork for flicking excrement away from their shelters.

Some common tortricids

The tortricids include many economically important pests, including: * Summer fruit tortrix moth (''

Adoxophyes orana ''Adoxophyes orana'', the summer fruit tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm and Taiwan. The wingspan is 17–22 mm. The moth flies in two generations from May to November. The larvae overwinter ...

'') *

Fruit tree tortrix moth ''Archips podana'', the large fruit-tree tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. The species was first described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in his 1763 ''Entomologia Carniolica''. It is found in Europe, Asia from Anatolia to Japan and is ...

(''

Archips podana ''Archips podana'', the large fruit-tree tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. The species was first described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in his 1763 ''Entomologia Carniolica''. It is found in Europe, Asia from Anatolia to Japan and is ...

'') * Rose leaf roller ('' Archips rosana'') *'' Argyrotaenia ljungiana'', a pest on vines, maize, and fruit trees * Peach moth ('' Cydia molesta'') *

Codling moth The codling moth (''Cydia pomonella'') is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are major pests to agricultural crops, mainly fruits such as apples and pears. Because the larvae are not able to feed on leaves, they are highly ...

(''

Cydia pomonella The codling moth (''Cydia pomonella'') is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are major pests to agricultural crops, mainly fruits such as apples and pears. Because the larvae are not able to feed on leaves, they are highly ...

'') * Plum fruit moth ('' Cydia funebrana'') * Pea moth ('' Cydia nigricana'') * Chestnut and acorn moth (''

Cydia splendana ''Cydia splendana'', the chestnut tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe. It is also known as the acorn moth, but this can also refer to '' Blastobasis glandulella'' from North America, which belongs to the more primi ...

'') *

Light brown apple moth The light brown apple moth (''Epiphyas postvittana'') (often abbreviated to LBAM) is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae. Identification Adult moths Light brown apple moth adults are variable in colour and may be ...

(''Epiphyas postvittana'') * Hemp borer ('' Grapholita delineana'') * Oriental fruit moth (''

Grapholita molesta ''Grapholita molesta'', the oriental fruit moth or peach moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is native to China, but was introduced to Japan and North America and is now also found throughout of Europe, Asia and South America and i ...

'') * Cherry fruitworm ('' Grapholita packardi'') *

European grapevine moth ''Lobesia botrana'', the European grapevine moth or European grape worm, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. Distribution This species is native to Southern Italy. It can be found in Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia and the Caucasus. ...

(''

Lobesia botrana ''Lobesia botrana'', the European grapevine moth or European grape worm, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. Distribution This species is native to Southern Italy. It can be found in Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia and the Caucasus. ...

'') * Barred fruit tree tortrix moth (''

Pandemis cerasana ''Pandemis cerasana'', the barred fruit-tree tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. Distribution This quite common species is found in Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Ural Mountains and the Caucasus, east to southern Siberia, ...

'') *

Grape berry moth ''Paralobesia viteana'', the grape berry moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae, found in Eastern North America and western Colorado, where it is an important agricultural pest in vineyards. The synonym ''Endopiza viteana'' is frequently used ...

(''

Paralobesia viteana ''Paralobesia viteana'', the grape berry moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae, found in Eastern North America and western Colorado, where it is an important agricultural pest in vineyards. The synonym ''Endopiza viteana'' is frequently used ...

'') * Long-palped tortrix or vine leaf roller ('' Sparganothis pilleriana'') * Bud moth ('' Spilonota ocellana'') *

False codling moth ''Thaumatotibia (Cryptophlebia) leucotreta'', commonly known as the false codling moth, orange moth, citrus codling moth or orange codling moth, is a moth in the family Tortricidae under the order of Lepidoptera. Larvae of the moth feed on a wide ...

('' Thaumatotibia (Cryptophlebia) leucotreta'') * Spruce budworm (Genus ''Choristoneura'') ''See also'' Mexican jumping bean moth (''

Cydia saltitans ''Cydia saltitans'' or jumping bean moth is a moth from Mexico that is most widely known as its larva, where it inhabits the carpels of seeds from several related shrubby trees, mainly '' Sebastiania pavoniana'' or '' Sapium biloculare'' (syn. ...

'')

A typical tortricid – the codling moth

The Tortricidae are considered to be the single most important family of insects that feed on apples, both economically and in diversity of feeding found on fruit, buds, leaves, and shoots. In New York, no fewer than seventeen species of Tortricidae have gained pest status in regards to apple production. The

''Cydia pomonella'' causes worm-holes in

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...

s. It has been accidentally spread from its original range in Europe and is now found in North and South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, wherever apples are grown. Control has required the use of the harshest available insecticides – historically lead arsenate and DDT were used for control. These chemicals brought considerable environmental dangers, and in any case the insect gradually developed resistance to them. Currently,

organophosphate In organic chemistry, organophosphates (also known as phosphate esters, or OPEs) are a class of organophosphorus compounds with the general structure , a central phosphate molecule with alkyl or aromatic substituents. They can be considered ...

sprays are favored and are timed carefully to catch the hatching larvae before they can bore into the fruit.

Gallery

Choristoneura fumiferana larva.jpg, '' Choristoneura fumiferana'', larva Choristoneura lambertiana pupa.jpg, '' Choristoneura lambertiana'', pupa Eumarozia malachitana adult.jpg, '' Eumarozia malachitana'' Pandemis limitata caterpillar.jpg, '' Pandemis limitata'', larva File:Pandemis limitata pupa.jpg, ''Pandemis limitata'' pupa Pandemis limitata adult.jpg, ''Pandemis limitata'', adult

References

External links

Tortricid.net
*
Eurasian Tortricidae
* ''Tortricid Fauna of Apple in New York.(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): Including an Account of Apples' Occurrence in the State, Especially as a Naturalized Plant''. by P. J. Chapman and S. E. Link, Geneva: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, 1971

on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
{{Authority control Moth families Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille Extant Eocene first appearances

Description

Life cycle and behavior

Some common tortricids

A typical tortricid – the codling moth

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links