Native
Clepsis melaleucanus (Walker) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)
Common name: black-patched Clepsis moth
Synonyms: biustulana (Lozotaenia), invexana (Conchylis), semifuscana (Ptycholoma)
FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 8.5-11.0 mm
Forewings are pale yellow with variable brown to yellowish-brown markings that may be suffused with bluish-gray scales. Most individuals have a large dark-brown patch in the area of the median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
that is not continuous to the costacosta:
the anterior margin of each wing 
. Males have 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 short, broad uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; a well-developed gnathosgnathos:
a narrow bandlike structure that joins the posterolateral edges of the tegumen and supports the anal tube
; an incomplete transtilla divided into two spined lobes; and membranous valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
. Female genitalia are characterized by a well-sclerotized, cylindrical sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae 
; long, loosely coiled ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
with cestumcestum:
a long, bandlike sclerotization of the wall of the ductus bursae
present; and a dagger-like signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
present in the corpus bursaecorpus bursae:
a dilated membranous sac at the anterior end of the bursa copulatrix
.
The following account is summarized from MacKay (1962a).
Mature larvae 12-19 mm in length; width of head 1.1-1.2 mm; head brownish yellow, darker laterally; prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax 
concolorous with head, darker laterally; legs yellowish; body, anal shieldanal shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the last abdominal segment (in larvae) 
yellowish green; anal fork well-developed; SV group 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).
Well marked individuals are unlikely to be confused with any other Nearctic Clepsis. A genitalic dissection can be used to confirm identity.
The following account is summarized from Chapman & Lienk (1971).
Clepsis melaleucanus completes a single generation per year. Adults are present in June and July. Last instar larvae feeding on low growth of various plants in May and June. Overwintering may occur as a late instar larva in the ground cover.
Although its primary host(s) are unknown, larvae of Clepsis melaleucanus have been recorded feeding on the following plants.
| Host plant | Host plant family | Reference(s) |
| Caulophyllum sp. | Berberidaceae | 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. |
| Alnus viridis crispa | Betulaceae | Ferguson 1975 |
| Betula sp. | Betulaceae | 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. |
| Pyrola sp. | Ericaceae | 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. |
| Hamamelis sp. | Hamamelidaceae | 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. |
| Polygonatum sp. | Liliaceae | 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. |
| Trillium sp. | Liliaceae | 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. |
| Spiraea sp. | Rosaceae | 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. |
View full screen host table here
Clepsis melaleucanus is distributed from the northeastern United States and southern Canada west to Minnesota and Alberta and south to North Carolina. It has been reported from England (Bradley et al. 1973Bradley et al. 1973:
Bradley, J. D., Tremewan, W. G., Smith, A. 1973. British Tortricoid Moths, Cochylidae and Tortricidae: Tortricinae. The Ray Society, London. 251 pp.) but is currently not established outside of North America.
