Type

Native

Taxonomy

Archips argyrospila (Walker) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Common names: fruit-tree leaf roller, apple leaf roller

Synonyms: furvana (Tortrix), vsignatana (Tortrix)

Subspecies: A. argyrospila columbiana (British Columbia), A. argyrospila vividana (Colorado)

Adult Recognition

Adult FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 6.0-10.2 mm (male); 8.5-11.7 mm (female)

Forewing color is a variable combination of reddish brown, dark brown, and tan. The majority of individuals have two contrasting triangular to semi-rectangular pale-tan patches on the costacosta:
the anterior margin of each wing
. Females are generally lighter in color than males. Males have a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
.

The names associated with A. argyrospila are considered a species complex by some authors. This group includes A. eleagnana, A. mortuana, A. myricana, and two subspecies (A. a. columbiana and A. a. vividana). According to Freeman (1958)Freeman (1958):
Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89., genitalic characters for the group include an aedeagusaedeagus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "phallus"
with hooked apexapex:
the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area
and two long cornuticornutus:
spines used to anchor the male vesica in the female bursa during copulation
in the male and a bulbous sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae
and antrumantrum:
in the female genitalia; a funnellike sclerotization anterior to the ostium
in the female.

Larval Morphology

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

Last instar larvae are 15-24 mm in length with a translucent green or gray abdomen. The head is reddish brown to dark brown and may be mottledmottled:
having spots or blotches of color
in some individuals; head markings are too variable to be diagnostic. The prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax
is amber with brown laterallateral:
to the side
shading. The prothoracic legs are brown or black; the thoracic legs are pale and unmarked.

For a more detailed account of larval chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
, see MacKay (1962a).

Similar Species

Adults of A. argyrospila could easily be confused with several other species of Archips, although none are as common as A. argyrospila and are often restricted to a single host. These species include A. eleagnana (Eleagnus), A. goyerana (Taxodium), A. mortuana (multiple hosts), A. myricana (Myrica), A. negundana (Acer negundo), and A. semiferanus (primarily Quercus). Identification may often require a genitalic dissection. 

Late instar A. argyrospila larvae may be confused with larvae of Choristoneura rosaceana and other Archips species.

Biology

The following account is summarized from Herrick & Leiby (1915) and Chapman & Lienk (1971).

Archips argyrospila completes a single generation per year. In Texas and along the Gulf Coast, adults are present from late March to early May. Further north, adults are active from May to July.

Eggs are laid in masses on the twigs of the host and covered by the female with a substance that hardens to create a smooth, hard surface. Eggs do not hatch until the following year. First instar larvae hatch in late Februrary to mid-May depending on temperature and bore into buds. Later instars roll or tie leaves together or to fruit and partially emerge from the shelter to feed. Larvae may feed on leaves, flowers, buds, or fruits of the host. Pupation occurs within the larval shelter and adults eclose in 10-12 days. The adult flight period lasts approximately 3 weeks.

During the first half of the 20th century, outbreaks of A. argyrospila would completely defoliate large areas of vegetation. The species was brought under control with the introduction of pesticides in the mid-1950's.

Archips argyrospila has been recorded from a long list of plants, many of which are not primary hosts. Under outbreak conditions the larvae feed on any plant near the primary host, and the following host list contains both primary and incidental hosts.

Host plant	Host plant family	Reference(s)
Cotinus obovatus	Acanthaceae	Gary Graves (image)
Acer negundo	Aceraceae	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).; Dyar 1902Dyar 1902: Dyar, H. G. 1902. Descriptions of the larvae of some moths from Colorado. Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 25: 369-412.; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Acer rubrum	Aceraceae	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.
Acer sp.	Aceraceae	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).; 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.
Acer spicatum	Aceraceae	MacKay 1962aMacKay 1962a: MacKay, M. R. 1962a. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 28: 1-182.
Rhus sp.	Anacardiaceae	Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
Toxicodendron pubescens	Anacardiaceae	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).
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.
Carpinus sp.	Betulaceae	Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
Viburnum sp.	Caprifoliaceae	Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
Cornus glabrata	Cornaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Cornus sp.	Cornaceae	Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
Arbutus menziesii (ID uncertain)	Ericaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Arctostaphlyos sp.	Ericaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Rhododendron groenlandicum	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.
Rhododendron sp.	Ericaceae	Schaffner 1959Schaffner 1959: Schaffner, J. V. 1959. Microlepidoptera and their parasites reared from field collections in the northeastern United States. USDA, Misc. Publ. 767. 97 pp.
Vaccinium sp.	Ericaceae	Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.; Wagner et al. 1995Wagner et al. 1995: Wagner, D. L., Peacock, J. W., Carter, J. L., Talley, S. E. 1995. Spring caterpillar fauna of oak and blueberry in a Virginia deciduous forest. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 88: 416-426.
Amorpha fruticosa	Fabaceae	Godfrey et al. 1987Godfrey et al. 1987: Godfrey, G. L., Cashatt, E. D., Glenn, M. O. 1987. Microlepidoptera from the Sandy Creek and Illinois River Region: A annotated checklist of the suborders Dacnonypha, Monotrysia, and Ditrysia (in part) (Insecta). Spec. Publ. 7. Illinois Natural History Survey.
Medicago sativa	Fabaceae	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).
Melilotus sp.	Fabaceae	Freeman 1958Freeman 1958: Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
Robinia pseudoacacia	Fabaceae	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).; Hargove 1986
Vicia sp.	Fabaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Quercus agrifolia	Fagaceae	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., 2006; Opler 1974Opler 1974: Opler, P. A. 1974. Biology, ecology, and host specificity of microlepidoptera associated with Quercus agrifolia (Fagaceae). University of California Press. vol. 75. 83 pp.
Host plant table (embedded) View full screen host table here Distribution Archips argyrospila is native to North America and is found throughout the continental United States and southern Canada. Links Additional photos and distribution map in North America available at Moth Photographers Group.  Male Male Male Female Male genitalia Female genitalia Egg masses. © UC Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.  Larva. © UC Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.  Pupa. © UC Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.  Resting adult. © UC Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.  Larva. © USDA Forest Service - Region 8 - Southern , USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Larval head previous next