Type

Exotic

Taxonomy

Argyrotaenia ljungiana (Thunberg) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Common name: grape tortrix

Synonyms: cognatana (Argyrotaenia), fuscociliana (Argyrotaenia), lepidana (Argyrotaenia), micantana (Olethreutes), micanthana (Olethreutes), politana (Tortrix), pulchellana (Tortrix), sylvana (Tortrix)

Adult Recognition

FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 5.5-8.5 mm

Forewing ground color ranges from pale brown to silvery white. Markings are dark reddish brown to gray and usually include a well-defined median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
and outer costal spotcostal spot:
a patch of contrasting scales on the costa, usually a remnant of the postmedian or preterminal fascia
. 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, subtriangular, 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
.

Larval Morphology

The following account is summarized from Swatschek (1958)Swatschek (1958):
Swatschek, B. 1958. Die larval systematik der wickler (Tortricidae und Carposinidae) aus dem zoologischen Institut der Universitat Erlangen. Akademie-Verlag, Berlin. 269 pp. [Abhandlungen zur larvalsystematik Insekten 3.] and Bradley et al. (1973).

Late instar larvae are pale green with a yellowish brown head. The prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax
is yellowish green with a black posterolateralposterolateral:
towards the rear and side; posterior and lateral
mark and black shading on the posteriorposterior:
after, to the rear, toward anal end
margin. An anal combanal comb:
a toothed structure on the last abdominal segment used to eject frass away from the feeding larva; also termed "anal fork"
with 6-8 teeth is present.

Similar Species

Adults may appear similar to other species of Argyrotaenia, including Argyrotaenia velutinana and A. pinatubana. A genitalic dissection is necessary 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 uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
of male A. pinatubana is broader and slightly expanded distally compared to the uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
of A. ljungiana.

Biology

The following account is summarized from Bradley et al. (1973).

Argyrotaenia ljungiana completes 1-2 generations in most of Europe and 2-3 generations in Transcaucasia (Caucasus Mountains). Adults are present April-May and June-July, and again in September if there is a third generation.

Females deposit eggs in masses of 40-50 individual eggs on the upper surface of leaves. Early instar larvae skeletonize the underside of leaves along the midrib. Later instars roll or fold leaves and may also feed on buds and fruits. Pupation occurs in debris on the ground, in webbed leaves, or in bark crevices. Overwintering occurs in the pupal stage.

This species is considered a pest of fruit and field crops and ornamentals in southern Europe and the European part of the former USSR. It has been recorded damaging a variety of plants, with most economic losses occurring in apple, grape, and tea.

Larvae of Argyrotaenia ljungiana are polyphagous and have been reported feeding on a variety of plants, including many economically important species. The following is a partial host list.

Host plant	Host plant family	Reference(s)
Centaurea sp.	Asteraceae	Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.; 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.
Chrysanthemum sp.	Asteraceae	AgroAtlas
Tripolium pannonicum	Asteraceae	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.
Betula sp.	Betulaceae	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.
Calluna vulgaris	Ericaceae	Disque 1908Disque 1908: Disque, H. 1908. Versuch einer microlepidopterologischen Botanik. Deutsch Entomologische Zeitschrift Iris. 21: 34-147.; 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.
Erica sp.	Ericaceae	Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.; Emmet 1992Emmet 1992: Emmet, A.M. 1992. Life history and habits of the British Lepidoptera. Pp. 61-300. In : Emmet, A.M., Heath, J. (eds.), The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, 7. 400 pp., Harley Books, Colchester.
Vaccinium sp.	Ericaceae	Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.
Vaccinium uliginosum	Ericaceae	Spitzer et al. 2003Spitzer et al. 2003: Spitzer, K., Jaroscaron;, J., Bezdek, A. 2003. Leaf-spining moths (Lepidoptera) feeding on Vaccinium uliginosum L. along an ecological gradient of central European peat bogs. Entomologica Fennica. 14: 46-52.
Colutea arborescens	Fabaceae	Bradley MS 1987Bradley MS 1987: Bradley, J. D. 1987. Card catalogue of identified reared material received by Bradley for identification from about 1955 to 1987; original in BMNH Microlepidoptera Section library.
Gentiana pneumonanthe	Gentianaceae	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.
Lavandula sp.	Lamiaceae	AgroAtlas
Myrica gale	Myricaceae	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.
Abies sp.	Pinaceae	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.
Larix decidua	Pinaceae	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.
Picea sp.	Pinaceae	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.
Pinus sp.	Pinaceae	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.
Zea mays	Poaceae	AgroAtlas
Ranunculus sp.	Ranunculaceae	Disque 1908Disque 1908: Disque, H. 1908. Versuch einer microlepidopterologischen Botanik. Deutsch Entomologische Zeitschrift Iris. 21: 34-147.
Drayas octopetala	Rosaceae	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.
Malus sp.	Rosaceae	AgroAtlas
Malus sylvestris	Rosaceae	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.

Host plant table (embedded)

View full screen host table here

Distribution

Argyrotaenia ljungiana is distributed from Western Europe east to China and Japan.

Bradley et al. (1973) reported this species as occurring in North America; the source of this record is probably related to a misidentification of A. pinatubana as Tortrix politana (= ljungiana) by Zeller, which was then reported by Packard (1890)Packard (1890):
Packard, A. S. 1890. Insects injurious to forest and shade trees. USDA, Fifth Report of the U.S. Entomological Commission, Bulletin No. 7. 957 pp.. Freeman (1944)Freeman (1944):
Freeman, T. N. 1944. A review of the North American species of the genus Argyrotaenia Stephens (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae). Scientific Agriculture. 25: 81-94. correctly synonymized the Packard T. politana under A. ljungiana.