KEYS    About TortAI    Fact Sheets    Glossary    ID Thumbnails    DNA Search    Dissection Guides Archips cerasivorana << Previous Next >> CAPS Non-target - Adult Archips cerasivorana (Fitch) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini) Common names: ugly-nest caterpillar Fig. 1: Male Fig. 1: Male Fig. 2: Male Fig. 2: Male Fig. 3: Female Fig. 3: Female Fig. 4: Male genitalia Fig. 4: Male genitalia Fig. 5: Female genitalia Fig. 5: Female genitalia Fig. 6: Early instar larvae Fig. 6: Early instar larvae Fig. 7: Larval nest Fig. 7: Larval nest Fig. 8: Late instar larva in nest Fig. 8: Late instar larva in nest Fig. 9: Late instar larva Fig. 9: Late instar larva Adult Recognition FWL: 7.5-9.5 mm (male); 9.0-12.0 mm (female) Forewing color varies from bright orange to yellow, often with faint purplish markings. The hindwing is yellow or yellowish brown. Males have a forewing costal fold. Archips rileyana is very similar to A. cerasivorana, both in appearance and larval habits. Freeman (1958) considered A. rileyana a subspecies of A. cerasivorana, but Obraztsov (1959) demonstrated that both adults and larvae of the two species can be separated. Archips cerasivorana is characterized by an uncus with parallel sides in the male, a large blunt signum in the female, and smaller, sometimes body-colored pinacula on the larval abdomen. Archips rileyana is characterized by a spatulate uncus in the male, a moderate pointed signum in the female, and very large, conspicuous, black pinacula on the larval abdomen. Larval Morphology Last instar larvae are 19-26 mm in length with a yellow to dark yellowish-green abdomen. The head, prothoracic shield, thoracic legs, and anal shield are dark brown to black. An anal comb is absent. Larvae of Archips rileyana are very similar to those of A. cerasivorana. Larvae of A. rileyana have very large, conspicuous, black pinacula, whereas those of A. cerasivorana are smaller, and range from body-colored to black. Biology Archips cerasivorana completes one generation per year. Adults are present in July and August. Females lay eggs in masses of 25-200 eggs at the base of shoots, often near the ground. Eggs overwinter and first instar larvae hatch in May. Unlike many tortricids, the larvae are social, and feeding occurs in silken nests on terminals of the host plants. A typical nest may contain 30-200 larvae and reach up to 30 inches in diameter. The nest is expanded when the colony needs additional food and feeding always occurs under the protection of the nest. Early stages skeletonize leaves while later stages consume entire leaves. Pupation occurs in chambers constructed in the nest from frass and silk. Host plants Archips cerasivorana is primarily associated with cherry and its most common host is Prunus virginiana (chokecherry). During outbreak conditions the larvae may utilize other hosts, many of which are listed below. Family Genus/species Common name Aceraceae Acer saccharinum L. silver maple Betulaceae Alnus incana (L.) Moench gray alder Betulaceae Betula papyrifera Marshall paper birch Betulaceae Corylus L. hazelnut Fagaceae Quercus macrocarpa Michx. bur oak Fagaceae Quercus palustris Munchh. pin oak Oleaceae Fraxinus L. ash Pinaceae Pinus sylvestris L. Scots pine Rosaceae Amelanchier Medik. serviceberry Rosaceae Crataegus L. hawthorn Rosaceae Prunus avium (L.) L. sweet cherry Rosaceae Prunus emarginata (Douglas ex Hook.) D. Dietr. bitter cherry Rosaceae Prunus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) D. Dietr. hollyleaf cherry Rosaceae Prunus L. Rosaceae Prunus pensylvanica L. f. pin cherry Rosaceae Prunus pumila L. sandcherry Rosaceae Prunus serotina Ehrh. black cherry Rosaceae Prunus virginiana L. chokecherry Rosaceae Prunus virginiana L. var. demissa (Nutt.) Torr. western chokecherry Rosaceae Rosa L. rose Salicaceae Populus balsamifera L. balsam poplar Salicaceae Populus L. cottonwood Salicaceae Populus tremuloides Michx. quaking aspen Salicaceae Salix L. willow Tiliaceae Tilia americana L. American basswood Distribution Archips cerasivorana occurs across southern Canada and the northern half of the United States, although there are records from some southern States. References Chapman, P. J. and S. E. Lienk. 1971. Tortricid fauna of apple in New York (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); including an account of apple's occurrence in the state, especially as a naturalized plant. Spec. Publ. Geneva, NY: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. 122 pp. Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). The Canadian Entomologist Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89. Obraztsov, N. S. 1959. Characters separating Archips rileyanus and cerasivoranus as two species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Entomological News. 70: 263-267. Powell, J. A. and P. A. Opler. 2009. Moths of western North America. University of California Press, Berkeley. 369 pp. Photo Credits Figs. 6-9: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org Tortricids of Agricultural Importance by Todd M. Gilligan and Marc E. Epstein Interactive Keys developed in Lucid 3.5. Last updated August 2014.