Type

Native

Taxonomy

Bactra Stephens (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Olethreutini)

Overview

Bactra is a large, distinctive genus of approximately 110 currently recognized species distributed globally. Several species have extremely broad distributions, either naturally or as a result of repeated introductions by humans. Some of these are distributed so broadly and seemingly randomly that their natural ranges are unknown.

Adults are generally tan yellow to pale brown in color, possess relatively narrow forewings with an acute apexapex:
the point furthest removed from the base or at the end of the costal area
, and are highly variable in size, likely a result of their stem-boring larval biology. Additional variation exists in the forewing pattern of many species, making species identification without examination of the genitalia difficult. Thankfully, the genitalia of both sexes is usually distinctive enough to provide species-level identifications. Male genitalia are characterized by a valvavalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
distinctly divided into two broad, often nearly circular lobes with robust spines; a short, broad, and well-developed uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; and well-developed sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
. Female genitalia are characterized by an elaborate and well-sclerotized sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae
, ostiumostium:
see ostium bursae
, and basal portion of the ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
; and a small, patch- or pocket-like signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
. 

Larvae of all known species are stem-borers on grasses (Poaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and rushes (Juncaceae). One species, B. bactrana, has recently expanded its host range to include sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) and has been reported to be a significant pest of it on Crete (Roditakis et al. 2016Roditakis et al. 2016:
Roditakis, E., Morin, S., Baixeras, J. 2016. Is Bactra bactrana (Kennel, 1901) a novel pest of sweet peppers? Bulletin of Entomological Research. 106(2): 161-167.). Another species, B. verutana, has been widely used as a biocontrol agent of various species of sedges (Cyperus spp.).

We include Bactra on this site because of the high number of species worldwide and the likelihood of encountering species in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings.

Host plant table (embedded)

View full screen host table here

Links

Additional photos and distribution maps for species in the United States and Canada are available at Moth Photographers Group.