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 ...
of
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 ...
s, commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths, in the order
Lepidoptera. 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
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 ''metr ...
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 Pyra ...
.
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'')
*
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
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'')
*
Plum fruit moth (''
Cydia funebrana'')
*
Pea moth (''
Cydia nigricana'')
*
Chestnut and acorn moth (''
Cydia splendana'')
*
Light brown apple moth (''Epiphyas postvittana'')
*
Hemp borer (''
Grapholita delineana
''Grapholita delineana'', known generally as Eurasian hemp moth, is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae. Other common names include the hemp moth and hemp borer.
The MONA or Hodges number for ''Grapholita delineana'' is 3443. ...
'')
*
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 in Ha ...
'')
*
Cherry fruitworm
A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit).
Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour '' Prunus cerasus''. The na ...
(''
Grapholita packardi
''Grapholita'' is a large genus of tortrix moths (family Tortricidae). It belongs to subfamily Olethreutinae, and therein to the tribe Grapholitini, of which it is the type genus.Baixeras et al. (2009a)
Taxonomy and systematics
Georg Friedri ...
'')
*
European grapevine moth (''
Lobesia botrana'')
*
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, K ...
'')
*
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 u ...
'')
*
Long-palped tortrix
''Sparganothis pilleriana'', also known as the vine leafroller tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae found in the Palearctic realm. It was first described by the Austrian lepidopterists Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775.
...
or
vine leaf roller (''
Sparganothis pilleriana
''Sparganothis pilleriana'', also known as the vine leafroller tortrix, is a moth of the family Tortricidae found in the Palearctic realm. It was first described by the Austrian lepidopterists Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775.
...
'')
*
Bud moth
''Spilonota ocellana'', the bud moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm, from North Africa and Europe to Iran, eastern Russia, China (Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hubei, Sichuan, Sh ...
(''
Spilonota ocellana
''Spilonota ocellana'', the bud moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic realm, from North Africa and Europe to Iran, eastern Russia, China (Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hubei, Sichuan, Shaanxi, ...
'')
*
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
''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 wid ...
'')
*
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
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'' 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 ances ...
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
''Choristoneura fumiferana'', the eastern spruce budworm, is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae native to the eastern United States and Canada. The caterpillars feed on the needles of spruce and fir trees. Eastern spruce budworm pop ...
'', 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
See also
*
List of Tortricidae genera
This is a taxonomy of the moth family Tortricidae down to genus level. This classification is up-to-date to 2008, taking information from the Online World Catalogue of the Tortricidae and taxonomic changes made in 2007.
Subfamily Tortricinae Tri ...
References
Further reading
* ''Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders'', edited by Christopher O'Toole, , 2002
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 IFAS may refer:
* Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
* Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge, a sewage treatment process
* International French adjectival system
In rock climbing, mountaineering, and other climbing disciplines, clim ...
Featured Creatures Web site
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Moth families
Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille
Extant Eocene first appearances