Native
Acleris robinsoniana (Forbes) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Tortricini)
Common names: Robinson's Acleris moth
Synonyms: clemensiana (Peronea)
FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 8.0-9.0 mm
The forewing pattern of A. robinsoniana varies greatly. Obraztsov (1963)Obraztsov (1963):
Obraztsov, N. S. 1963. Some North American moths of the genus Acleris . Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 114: 213-270. described six distinct forms that were present in the type series; the nominate form is brown with a pale-yellow streak along the dorsaldorsal:
upper, to the top, on the back 
margin. In one of the more common forms the forewing is brown on the distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
half and gray or white on the basal half with a dark-brown to black mark on the dorsumdorsum:
the lower (usually posterior) or inner margin 
. Males lack a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
.
Male genitalia are characterized by reduced uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; broad, triangular sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; broad valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
with ventralventral:
lower, to the bottom, on the under side
excavation. Female genitalia characterized by sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae 
with long anteriorly directed lobes; scobinatescobinate:
rasplike
signum in corpus bursaecorpus bursae:
a dilated membranous sac at the anterior end of the bursa copulatrix
.
No detailed description of larval chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
exists for Acleris robinsoniana, but likely mirrors other species of Acleris. The following description is based on images of larvae of A. robinsoniana.
Larvae are yellowish or light green. Late instar individuals have a brown head, a dark-brown prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax 
, and brown to dark-brown legs. Earlier instars lack these markings and the prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax and legs are concolorous with the abdomen.
Acleris robinsoniana may appear similar to several other species of Acleris, specifically certain forms of A. fragariana, A. hastiana, A. inana, A. keiferi, A. maculidorsana, A. pulverosana, and A. variegana. A genitalic dissection can be used to confirm species identity.
The following account is summarized from Powell (1964b).
Acleris robinsoniana completes one or two generations per year. Adults are usually present in May or June. Early instar larvae fold or tie newly developing leaves and feed on the upper surface. Later instars fold leaves and consume the apical half. Individuals overwinter as adults.
Larvae of this species have only been recorded feeding on Rosa and Populus.
| Host plant | Host plant family | Reference(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rosa californica | Rosaceae | Powell 1964bPowell 1964b: Powell, J. A. 1964b. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp. |
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| Populus tremuloides | Salicaceae | Prentice 1966Prentice 1966: Prentice, R. M. 1966. Vol. 4. Microlepidoptera. In : Forest Lepidoptera of Canada recorded by the Forest Insect Survey. Dept. For. Canada Publ. 1142: 543-840. |
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Acleris robinsoniana is distributed from the eastern United States south to Georgia and across southern Canada to British Columbia and south to California.
