The Tortricidae are a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...

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

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

. This large family has over 11,000 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea, although the genus '' Heliocosma'' is sometimes placed within this superfamily. Many of these are economically important pests. Olethreutidae is a junior synonym. The typical resting posture is with the wings folded back, producing a rather rounded profile. Notable tortricids include the codling moth 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. (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 moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyleti ...

and

Pyralidae The Pyralidae, commonly called pyralid moths, snout moths or grass moths, are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many (particularly older) classifications, the grass moths (Crambidae) are included in the Pyr ...

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 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'', 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 overwint ...

('' Adoxophyes orana'') * Fruit tree tortrix moth ('' Archips podana'') * Rose leaf roller ('' Archips rosana'') *'' Argyrotaenia ljungiana'', a pest on vines, maize, and fruit trees * Peach moth ('' Cydia molesta'') * Codling moth (''

Cydia pomonella The codling moth (''Cydia pomonella'') is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are major Agricultural pests, pests to agricultural crops, mainly fruits such as apples and pears, and a codling moth larva is often called an "wikt: ...

'') *

Plum fruit moth ''Grapholita funebrana'', the plum fruit moth or red plum maggot, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm. Like many of its congeners, it is sometimes placed in '' Cydia''. The wingspan is 10–15 mm. The ...

(''

Cydia funebrana ''Grapholita funebrana'', the plum fruit moth or red plum maggot, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm. Like many of its congeners, it is sometimes placed in '' Cydia''. The wingspan is 10–15 mm. The ...

'') *

Pea moth ''Cydia nigricana'', the pea moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe. Description It is a small (15 mm wingspan), grey-brown moth whose larvae (caterpillars) feed in the pods of garden peas. They have a long ant ...

('' Cydia nigricana'') * Chestnut and acorn moth ('' Cydia splendana'') * Light brown apple moth (''Epiphyas postvittana'') * Hemp borer ('' Grapholita delineana'') * Oriental fruit moth ('' Grapholita molesta'') * Cherry fruitworm ('' Grapholita packardi'') * European grapevine moth ('' Lobesia botrana'') * Barred fruit tree tortrix moth ('' Pandemis cerasana'') * Grape berry moth ('' Paralobesia viteana'') * Long-palped tortrix or vine leaf roller ('' Sparganothis pilleriana'') * Bud moth ('' Spilonota ocellana'') * False codling moth ('' Thaumatotibia (Cryptophlebia) leucotreta'') * Spruce budworm (Genus ''Choristoneura'') ''See also'' Mexican jumping bean moth ('' Cydia saltitans'')

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 codling moth ''Cydia pomonella'' causes worm-holes in

apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

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