Archips packardiana

Type

Native

Taxonomy

Archips packardiana (Fernald) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Common name: spring spruce needle moth, spruce needleworm

Adult Recognition

FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 7.5-9.5 mm

Head and thorax gray to gray-brown; forewing with ground color brown to dark gray, fasciaefascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
slightly irregular, white or pale gray, suffused with darker gray scales in portions; male with costal fold absent; hindwing brown.

Male genitalia characterized by rounded valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
, slightly irregular saccular margin; moderate, finger-like uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; pistol-shaped phallusphallus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "aedeagus"
. Female genitalia characterized by large, bowl-like sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae
; long, membranous ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
; and hook-like signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
with well-developed capitulumcapitulum:
in reference to the female signum; a knoblike projection
.

Larval Morphology

The following account is summarized from MacKay (1962a).

Mature larva approximately 18-22 mm in length; width of head 1.1-1.6 mm. Head of living larva pale green with black pigmentation laterally; prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax
with dark laterallateral:
to the side
pigmentation; body, legs green. Preserved larva with green fading to pale yellow to brown; anal fork moderately to poorly developed. SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 usually 3:3:3:2:2.

A more complete description of larval chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
is available in MacKay (1962a). 

Similar Species

The forewing pattern of A. packardiana, with strongly contrasting dark brown/white fasciaefascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
, is unique among North American Archips. It is also the only species of Archips in which the male lacks a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
. However, it could easily be confused with two rarely collected species, Pandemis coniferana and P. morrisana. These two species possess a subtle antennal notch, but examination of the genitalia may be required in some instances.

Biology

The following account is summarized from Freeman (1958)Freeman (1958):
Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
and MacKay (1962a).

After overwintering as early instars, larvae are miners in needles of spruce (Picea spp.) fir (Abies spp.), and larch (Larix spp.), usually feeding throughout May. Later instars web needles together, feeding on them as well as buds. Pupation often occurs in this webbing. Adults eclose in June into early July, suggesting a single generation per year. 

Host plant Host plant family Reference(s)
Abies amabilis Pinaceae 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.
Abies balsamea Pinaceae LACM IndexLACM Index:
LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
; Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938:
Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.
; 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.
Abies lasiocarpa Pinaceae 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.
Abies sp.   Pinaceae Forbes 1923Forbes 1923:
Forbes, W. M. T. 1923. The Lepidoptera of New York and neighboring states. Primitive forms, Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces. Cornell Univ. Argic. Exp. Sta., Mem. 68. 729 pp.
; Freeman 1958Freeman 1958:
Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
; MacKay 1962aMacKay 1962a:
MacKay, M. R. 1962a. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 28: 1-182.
Larix occidentalis Pinaceae 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.
Larix sp. Pinaceae 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.
Picea abies Pinaceae 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.
Picea engelmanni Pinaceae 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.
; LACM IndexLACM Index:
LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
Picea glauca Pinaceae 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.
; LACM IndexLACM Index:
LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
Picea mariana Pinaceae 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.
; LACM IndexLACM Index:
LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
Picea pungens Pinaceae 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.
Picea rubens Pinaceae 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.
Picea sitchensis Pinaceae LACM IndexLACM Index:
LACM Index. Records from the card file at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California; transcribed by Gaeden Robinson (BMNH).
Picea sp. Pinaceae Forbes 1923Forbes 1923:
Forbes, W. M. T. 1923. The Lepidoptera of New York and neighboring states. Primitive forms, Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces. Cornell Univ. Argic. Exp. Sta., Mem. 68. 729 pp.
; Freeman 1958Freeman 1958:
Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
; MacKay 1962aMacKay 1962a:
MacKay, M. R. 1962a. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 28: 1-182.
Pinus banksiana Pinaceae 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.
Pinus contorta Pinaceae 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.
Tsuga canadensis Pinaceae 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.
Tsuga heterophylla Pinaceae 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.

Host plant table (embedded)

View full screen host table here

Distribution

Archips packardiana is widespread in the northern United States and Canada, ranging from Newfoundland and Maine, south as far as northern Ohio, and west to British Columbia and Washington.

Links

Additional photos and distribution map in North America available at Moth Photographers Group
 Male. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
Male. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
 Male. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
Male. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
 Male. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
Male. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
 Female. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
Female. © Loren Jones. Photo used with permission.
 Male genitalia. © Dr. A. W. Thomas. Image used with permission.
Male genitalia. © Dr. A. W. Thomas. Image used with permission.
 Female genitalia. © Dr. A. W. Thomas. Image used with permission.
Female genitalia. © Dr. A. W. Thomas. Image used with permission.