Native
Argyrotaenia niscana (Kearfott) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)
Synonyms: camerata (Eulia)
FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 6.0-9.0 mm
Head, thorax rusty red to orange; labial palpilabial palpi:
a pair of sensory appendages that project from the lower part of the head; usually covered in scales and three-segmented
brown; thoracic tuft present; ground color of forewing rusty red with scattered white and orange scales; fasciaefascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
shining silvery-white; apexapex:
the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area 
acute; fringe rusty red at apexapex:
the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area , pale orange elsewhere; male without forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
; hindwing pale brown or gray.
Male genitalia are characterized by a broad, moderate uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; reduced sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; simple transtilla; subtriangular valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
; and a curved phallusphallus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "aedeagus" 
with well-developed cauliscaulis:
a rigid stem connecting the juxta and anellus 
. Female genitalia have not been illustrated in the scientific literature but likely resemble other species of Argyrotaenia.
Larvae have not been described, but are presumably similar to other species of Argyrotaenia, especially A. franciscana (Walsingham), a close relative.
Argyrotaenia niscana is most similar to A. lignitaenia Powell and an undescribed species of Argyrotaenia (Landry et al. 1999Landry et al. 1999:
Landry, B., Powell, J. A., Sperling, F. A. H. 1999. Systematics of the Argyrotaenia franciscana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) species group: evidence from mitochondrial DNA. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 92: 40-46.). According to Powell (1965)Powell (1965):
Powell, J. A. 1965. Supplementary notes on North American and Mexican species of Decodes and Argyrotaenia, with descriptions of new species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 78: 65-80., Argyrotaenia lignitaenia is a larger, paler species with less distinct markings. Little is published about the similar, undescribed species, which is known from Montana de Oro State Park, California (Landry et al. 1999Landry et al. 1999:
Landry, B., Powell, J. A., Sperling, F. A. H. 1999. Systematics of the Argyrotaenia franciscana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) species group: evidence from mitochondrial DNA. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 92: 40-46.).
Argyrotaenia niscana is a specialist on chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum). It is univoltine, with adults active from May to July. Little else is known about its life cycle.
View full screen host table here
This species is restricted to California and Baja California, with records from Monterey County south to northern Baja California, Mexico (Powell & Opler 2009).
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