Adult Recognition
FWL: 4.5-7.0 mm (male); 6.5-9.0 mm (female)
Male forewings are usually dark brown on the basal half and golden brown on the distal half. Female forewings are more uniform golden brown to dark brown and markings are usually less distinct. Labial palpi are extremely elongate in both sexes. Males have a forewing costal fold.
Platynota stultana is similar to other Platynota species such as Platynota flavedana and Platynota rostrana. The forewing costal fold is generally smaller in P. stultana than in these other species. A genitalic dissection can be used to confirm identity.
Larval Morphology
Late instar larvae are approximately 12-15 mm long with a cream-colored, translucent abdomen. The head and prothoracic shield are yellowish brown. The posterolateral margins on the prothoracic shield are shaded with dark brown in some individuals. An anal comb is present with 5-6 teeth.
MacKay (1962) stated that larvae of Platynota could be separated from similar species of Sparganothis by the small dorsal pinacula on A1-8, which are slightly elongate and cream colored in living individuals.
Biology
Platynota stultana completes 4-6 generations per year. Adults may be present year round over much of its range.
Eggs are laid in masses containing an average of 97 individual eggs per mass. Newly hatched larvae move towards the top of the plant and feed within a bud or between two leaves. Young larvae may also disperse to other hosts by ballooning in the wind on a silk thread. Later instars feed within a shelter constructed of rolled or folded leaves. Larvae complete 5-6 instars in a period of 20-30 days (in greenhouse conditions). Third through fifth instar lavae of the last generation overwinter in webbed nests. Pupation takes place in a rolled leaf.
Host plants
Larvae of P. stultana are highly polyphagous and have been recorded feeding on plants in more than 20 families. This species can be a serious pest in greenhouses and vineyards and economically important hosts include alfalfa, Citrus sp., corn, cotton, grape, peach, pear, and pepper. As P. stultana expanded its range into northern California it appears to also have greatly expanded its host range onto a wide variety of non-native plants. It is recorded from only a few native plants in California.
| Family | Genus/species | Common name |
| Amaranthaceae | Amaranthus L. | pigweed |
| Apiaceae | Apium graveolens L. | wild celery |
| Apiaceae | Conium maculatum L. | poison hemlock |
| Asteraceae | Ambrosia dumosa (A. Gray) Payne | burrobush |
| Asteraceae | Ambrosia psilostachya DC. | Cuman ragweed |
| Asteraceae | Aster L. | aster |
| Asteraceae | Baccharis pilularis DC. | coyotebrush |
| Asteraceae | Bidens laevis (L.) Britton et al. | smooth beggartick |
| Asteraceae | Conyza bilbaoana J. Remy | |
| Asteraceae | Grindelia camporum Greene | Great Valley gumweed |
| Asteraceae | Grindelia hirsutula Hook. & Arn. | hairy gumweed |
| Asteraceae | Parthenium hysterophorus L. | Santa Maria feverfew |
| Asteraceae | Senecio jacobaea L. | stinking willie |
| Asteraceae | Solidago californica Nutt. | California goldenrod |
| Asteraceae | Wyethia angustifolia (DC.) Nutt. | California compassplant |
| Caryophyllaceae | Dianthus caryophyllus L. | carnation |
| Caryophyllaceae | Dianthus L. | pink |
| Chenopodiaceae | Atriplex calotheca (Rafn) Fr. | halberdleaf orach |
| Chenopodiaceae | Beta L. | beet |
| Chenopodiaceae | Chenopodium L. | goosefoot |
| Chenopodiaceae | Salsola kali L. | Russian thistle |
| Convolvulaceae | Convolvulus L. | bindweed |
| Crassulaceae | Dudleya virens (Rose) Moran | bright green dudleya |
| Cupressaceae | Juniperus L. | juniper |
| Fabaceae | Albizzia Durazz. | albizia |
| Fabaceae | Arachis L. | peanut |
| Fabaceae | Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.) Raf. | royal poinciana |
| Fabaceae | Glycine max (L.) Merr. | soybean |
| Fabaceae | Leucaena lanceolata S. Watson | |
| Fabaceae | Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit | white leadtree |
| Fabaceae | Lotus scoparius (Nutt.) Ottley | common deerweed |
| Fabaceae | Medicago sativa L. | alfalfa |
| Fabaceae | Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. | yellow sweetclover |
| Fabaceae | Mimosa asperata L. | Puerto Rico sensitive-briar |
| Fabaceae | Parkinsonia aculeata L. | Jerusalem thorn |
| Fabaceae | Phaseolus L. | bean |
| Fabaceae | Tamarindus indica L. | tamarind |
| Fabaceae | Trifolium L. | clover |
| Ginkgoaceae | Ginkgo L. | ginkgo |
| Juglandaceae | Juglans L. | walnut |
| Lauraceae | Persea americana Mill. | avocado |
| Malvaceae | Gossypium hirsutum L. var. hirsutum | upland cotton |
| Malvaceae | Malva L. | mallow |
| Onagraceae | Epilobium brachycarpum C. Presl | tall annual willowherb |
| Pinaceae | Pinus L. | pine |
| Poaceae | Sorghum Moench | sorghum |
| Poaceae | Zea mays L. | corn |
| Polygonaceae | Eriogonum grande Greene var. grande | redflower buckwheat |
| Polygonaceae | Eriogonum latifolium Sm. | seaside buckwheat |
| Polygonaceae | Rumex crispus L. | curly dock |
| Portulaceae | Portulaca L. | purslane |
| Portulaceae | Portulaca oleracea L. | little hogweed |
| Primulaceae | Cyclamen L. | cyclamen |
| Punicaceae | Punica granatum L. | pomegranate |
| Rosaceae | Rosa L. | rose |
| Rosaceae | Rubus L. | blackberry |
| Rutaceae | Citrus L. | citrus |
| Rutaceae | Citrus X limon (L.) Burm. f. (pro sp.) [medica X aurantifolia] | lemon |
| Rutaceae | Citrus X sinensis (L.) Osbeck (pro sp.) [maxima X reticulata] | sweet orange |
| Salicaceae | Salix L. | willow |
| Solanaceae | Capsicum L. | pepper |
| Solanaceae | Solanum lycopersicum L. var. lycopersicum | garden tomato |
| Taxaceae | Taxus L. | yew |
| Verbenaceae | Citharexylum spinosum L. | spiny fiddlewood |
| Vitaceae | Vitis L. | grape |
| Vitaceae | Vitis vinifera L. | wine grape |
Distribution
Platynota stultana has been recorded from California, Arizona, Hawaii, Texas, Florida, and Mexico. Records from other locations in the eastern United States are questionable.
References
AliNiazee, M. T. and E. M. Stafford. 1972. Notes on the biology, ecology, and damage of Platynota stultana on grapes. Journal of Economic Entomology. 65: 1042-1044.
Atkins, E. L., M. H. Frost, L. D. Anderson and A. S. Deal. 1957. The omnivorous leaf roller, Platynota stultana Wlshm., on cotton in California: nomenclature, life history, and bionomics (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 50: 251-259.
MacKay, M. R. 1962. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). The Canadian Entomologist Supplement 28: 1-182.
Powell, J. A. 1983. Expanding geographical and ecological range of Platynota stultana in California (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 59: 233-239.
Photo Credits
Figs. 6-9: University of California Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM Web Site)
