Species Proteoteras moffatiana - Gray-flanked Proteoteras - Hodges#3235

3235

Maple Shoot Borer (larva)

Proteoteras moffatiana Fernald, 1905

Phylogenetic sequence #621138

Named for J. Alston Moffat, curator of the Entomological Society of London, Ontario in the late 1800s.

Wingspan 14-20 mm.

Adult - "When fresh, it is immediately distinguishable from most other members of the Tortricidae family by its green forewings" [Lynn Scott]. An irregular blackish line begins about mid-way along costa and extends in an arc to a point near but not reaching the apex; blackish streaks or smudges extend from base to a raised "bump" of scales in antemedial area; distal half of costa marked by short streaks of green, dark gray, and whitish; hindwing brownish-gray, paler toward base; thorax has green bump of raised scales posteriorly.

Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Texas and at least Wisconsin and Ontario.

Described material: London, Ontario (Moffat); Lancaster, NY (Oct. 22 1880); Milford, NH (Whitney, June 28, 1870).

Larvae feed inside the buds of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) and other maple species.

Overwinters as a larva in bud of maple tree.

Maple Twig Borer Moth (P. aesculana) flies in April and May in the east, and forewing has less extensive/conspicuous green.

Black-crescent Proteoteras (P. crescentana) forewing has heavy black crescent that extends to apex, and ground color is not green.

Fernald, 1905. A new species of North American Proteoteras. The Canadian Entomologist 37(1): 16.

Moth Photographers Group