Species Argyrotaenia velutinana - Red-banded Leafroller - Hodges#3597

3597

Argyrotaenia velutinana (Walker, 1863)

Cacoecia velutinana Walker, 1863

Cacoecia ? velutinana Walker, 1863 (1)

Specific epithet from Latin velutum meaning "velvet." Walker describes the forewings as "velvety." (1)

Forewing length: 5.5-7.5 mm (male); 6.5-8.0 mm (female). (2)

Mature larvae 13-18 mm. (2)

Adult - forewing has wide diagonal median band that is reddish in female, blackish in male; basal area light yellowish-brown with darker shading near inner margin; pale whitish shading in AM area at inner margin forms diamond-shaped patch when wings are held together at rest; whitish shading beyond median band except for dark triangular patch along costa in PM area; hindwing dirty white to light gray with pale fringe.

Genitalia:

Larva - body green with pale dorsal stripe; head yellowish. See photo at TortAI. (2)

British Columbia to Nova Scotia, south to Florida and Texas. (3)

This species seems to be bivoltine on Block Island, RI, with one flight in spring and a second in the fall.(4)

Polyphagous on the foliage and fruit of deciduous trees and shrubs, herbaceous plants, and rarely conifers. It can be a major pest of apple orchards. (3) Large list of hosts at TortAI. (2)

Early instar larva creates small silk shelter where it skeletonizes the underside of leaf along the mid-vein. Later instars silk together two leaves, or a leaf to a fruit. Overwinters as pupa in folded leaf on the ground. (3) More information at TortAI. (2)

Leaf rolled shelter; larva; larva; pupa; adult

This species showed resistance to DDT and TDE in the 1950s and 60s.

Eggs are sometimes heavily parasitized by Trichogramma minutum.(5)

See Obraztsov (1961) to help distinguish this species from similar-looking Argyrotaenia. (6)

Walker, F., 1863. List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum. Part XXVIII – Tortricites and Tineites. British Museum (Natural History), p.313. (1)

Moth Photographers Group

Maryland Moths

E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum (3)

TortAI (2)