Native
Argyrotaenia velutinana (Walker) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)
Common name: red-banded leaf roller (RBLR)
Synonyms: incertana (Tortrix), lutosana (Tortrix), triferana (Cacoecia)
FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 5.5-7.5 mm (male); 6.5-8.0 mm (female)
Forewing ground color ranges from pale brown to golden brown. The most conspicuous wing marking is the reddish-brown median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
, which is the basis for the species' common name. Other markings can be quite variable, although generally there is a dark mark or partial fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing at the base of the wing, a reddish-brown outer costal spotcostal spot:
a patch of contrasting scales on the costa, usually a remnant of the postmedian or preterminal fascia 
, and a row of near-white scales along the termentermen:
the outer edge of the forewing 
that may extend to the median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing in some individuals. Hindwings are grayish brown. 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 a well-developed, finger-like uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; reduced sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; and large, eliptical, membranous valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
. Female genitalia are characterized by a ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
with a sclerotizedsclerotized:
hardened; usually in reference to larval structures or adult genitalia 
plate near the ostiumostium:
see ostium bursae 
and a large, hook-shaped signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
in the corpus bursaecorpus bursae:
a dilated membranous sac at the anterior end of the bursa copulatrix
with a well-developed capitulumcapitulum:
in reference to the female signum; a knoblike projection 
.
The following account is summarized from MacKay (1962a).
Mature larva 13-18 mm in length; width of head 1.0-1.2 mm; head yellowish or yellowish brown; prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax 
, body, legs, anal shieldanal shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the last abdominal segment (in larvae) 
green to yellowish green, unmarked; anal fork well-developed; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 numbering 3:3:3:2:2.
Detailed figures of larval chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
are available in MacKay (1962a).
Adults can appears similar to other species of Argyrotaenia. In the Nearctic, this includes species such as A. floridana, A. kimballi, A. niscana, A. pinatubana, and A. tabulana. In the Palearctic, Argyrotaenia ljungiana may appear similar. A genitalic dissection can be used to confirm identity. Male A. velutinana have a distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
, pointed projection from the median sclerotizedsclerotized:
hardened; usually in reference to larval structures or adult genitalia portion of the valvavalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation that is absent in A. ljungiana.
The green unmarked larva can be confused with the larva of many other tortricids, including other species of Argyrotaenia, Epiphyas postvittana, and Choristoneura rosaceana.
The following account is summarized from Summerland & Hamilton (1955) and Chapman & Lienk (1971).
Argyrotaenia velutinana completes 2-3 full generations over much of its range. Because this species undergoes facultative diapause, the number of generations can vary depending on latitude. In the North, only two generations are completed, with a partial third possible. In the South, a possible fourth generation is present. Overwintering occurs in the pupal stage.
In New York, adults of the overwintering (second) generation are present in April and May. Those of the first generation are present in late June to July. In southern Indiana and Virginia, adults of the overwintering (fourth) generation are present in March and April. Those of the first generation are present in late May to June, those of the second generation are present in July, and those of the third generation present in August and September.
In the spring, females lay eggs in masses on smooth bark of the trunk and lower limbs of host trees. During the summer, females lay egg masses on the upper surface of leaves. Each egg mass contains approximately 40-45 individual eggs. Egg development time ranges from 7-12 days in the South to 14-21 days in the North. First instar larvae crawl up limbs in search of food or disperse on silk threads to other parts of the host or to other plants. Early instars skeletonize the upper surface of a leaf along the midrib, concealed by a patch of silk. They remain under the silk patch until the penultimate instar, at which point they move to feed on other leaves or fruit. Late instar larvae of the summer generations will often construct a shelter by webbing a leaf to fruit, and feeding underneath directly on the fruit. Larval feeding damage causes fruit rot and early drop in hosts such as apple. Larvae will continue to feed on fallen fruit and may be dispersed in this manner if fallen fruit is moved to a different location. Larvae complete development in approximately 30 days and move to the ground to pupate in a folded leaf under other leaves and debris. Adults of the first two generations eclose in 7-13 days; those of the last generation eclose the following spring.
Argyrotaenia velutinana was once considered one of the most important tortricid pests on apple in the eastern United States. Its status as a major pest peaked after the widespread use of DDT in the late 1940's presumably destroyed many of its natural enemies. It is currently controlled under most IPM programs and is only considered a minor pest.
Larvae of Argyrotaenia velutinana are highly polyphagous and have been described by Freeman (1958)Freeman (1958):
Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89. as feeding "on almost any plant." This includes several conifers, as reported by Prentice (1966)Prentice (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.. Chapman and Lienk (1971) speculate that primary hosts may be limited to members of the Rosaceae, as apple appears to be a preferred host in many regions. The following partial host list includes both primary and secondary hosts.
| Host plant | Host plant family | Reference(s) | ||||||
| Acer sp. | Aceraceae | Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson. |
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| Apocynum sp. | Apocynaceae | 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). |
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| Ilex decidua | Aquifoliaceae | Brown & Allen 1974 | ||||||
| [unspecified] | Asteraceae | Guillet et al. 1995Guillet et al. 1995: Guillet, G., Lavigne, M.-E., Philogene, B. J. R., Arnason, J. T. 1995. Behavioral adaptations of two phytophagous insects feeding on two species of phototoxic Asteraceae. Journal of Insect Behavior. 8: 533-546. |
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| Ambrosia trifida | Asteraceae | Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA. |
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| Chrysanthemum sp. | Asteraceae | 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). |
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| Zinnia violacea | Asteraceae | 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). |
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| Alnus sp. | Betulaceae | 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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| Betula papyrifera | Betulaceae | 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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| Lobelia sp. | Campanulaceae | 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). |
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| Lonicera sp. | Caprifoliaceae | 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). |
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| Vaccinium sp. | Ericaceae | Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.; 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). |
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| Quercus sp. | Fagaceae | Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson. |
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| Geranium sp. | Geraniaceae | 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). |
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| Alcea rosea | Malvaceae | 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). |
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| Myrica gale | Myricaceae | Ferguson 1975Ferguson 1975: Ferguson, D. C. 1975. Host records for Lepidoptera reared in eastern North America. United States Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin 1521. 49 pp. |
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| Platanthera cristata | Orchidaceae | McCabe & Sheviak 1980 | ||||||
| Abies balsamea | 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. |
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| 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. |
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| Picea glauca | Pinaceae | Host plant table (embedded)
View full screen host table here DistributionArgyrotaenia velutinana is widely distributed in eastern North America. LinksAdditional photos and a distribution map of this species in North America are available at Moth Photographers Group.
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