Type

Native

Taxonomy

Cydia toreuta complex (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Grapholitini)

Common names: pine seedworms

 

Included species:

Cydia toreuta (Grote)

• Common name: eastern pine seedworm

Cydia ingens (Heinrich)

• Common name: longleaf pine seedworm​

Cydia anaranjada (Miller)

• Common name: slash pine seedworm

Cydia erotella (Heinrich)

• Common name: loblolly pine seedworm

Cydia piperana Kearfott

• Common name: ponderosa pine seedworm

Cydia injectiva (Heinrich)

• Common name: Jeffrey pine seedworm

Cydia miscitata (Heinrich)

• Common name: hybrid pine seedworm

Cydia colorana Kearfott

• Common name: two-needle pinyon pine seedworm

 

 

Overview

The Cydia toreuta complex consists of ten or eleven described species in the United States. Several additional species, both described and undescribed, occur in Mexico. Species are primarily characterized by differences in larval host preference, distribution, and subtle differences in forewing pattern, hindwing color, and genitalia (especially females). We include eight species on this site. Two additional species belonging to this complex, C. montezuma and C. lati signasignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
, are primarily Mexican in distribution with only rare records from the United States. Cydia toreuta is the most common and widespread eastern species; Cydia piperana is the most common and widespread western species.

Species in this complex are generally considered minor pests of pine (Pinus spp.). Life histories are remarkably similar. Most species are univoltine with adults present in the East from late May to early August depending on latitude and on the West Coast from February to June. Eggs are deposited in the spring or early summer on green cones that will mature before the end of the summer. The eggs soon hatch and the larvae immediately enter the cone. Larvae feed on seeds throughout the summer and overwinter as fifth instar larvae. Pupation occurs in the following and adults emerge shortly thereafter (Abrahamson & Kraft 1965).

Larvae feed in the cones of various Pinus species with many species restricted to a single species. Other species (such as C. toreuta) feed on multiple species of Pinus, but may represent a cryptic species complex.

The following account of larval morphology is summarized from MacKay (1959)MacKay (1959):
MacKay, M. R. 1959. Larvae of the North American Olethreutidae (Lepidoptera). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 10: 1-338..

Larvae of only a few species have been formally described. Mature larvae are approximately 6-12 mm in length with a yellow-brown head and white to pale yellow body, including the prothoracic shieldprothoracic shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the prothorax
and anal shieldanal shield:
a sclerotized plate on the dorsal surface of the last abdominal segment (in larvae)
. An anal fork is absent. Detailed figures of larval chaetotaxychaetotaxy:
the arrangement of setae (in reference to Lepidoptera larvae), often depicted on a "setal map"
for C. ingens and C. injectiva are available in MacKay (1959)MacKay (1959):
MacKay, M. R. 1959. Larvae of the North American Olethreutidae (Lepidoptera). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 10: 1-338..

Forewings are generally dark grayish brown (orange-brown in C. anaranjada) with three transverse metallic bars running from costacosta:
the anterior margin of each wing
to dorsumdorsum:
the lower (usually posterior) or inner margin
. Males lack a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
. Forewing length varies according to species and is often useful in making identifications. Cydia erotella and C. toreuta are among the smallest species (FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
4.0-7.5 mm); Cydia ingens and C. piperana are among the largest (FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
7.0-10.0 mm).

Species	Host plant(s)	Distribution	Comments
C. toreuta	Pinus virginiana, Pinus taeda, Pinus echinata, Pinus contorta	eastern North America except southeastern coastal plain	records from P. banksiana and P. resinosa may represent undescribed species
C. ingens	Pinus palustris	southeastern coastal plain from Louisiana to South Carolina	records from Maryland and New Hampshire require confirmation
C. anaranjada	Pinus elliottii, Pinus palustris	Florida, Georgia
C. erotella	Pinus taeda	eastern United States
C. piperana	Pinus ponderosa	Western North America (Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, California)
C. injectiva	Pinus jeffreyi	California, southern Oregon	records included in Heinrich (1926)Heinrich (1926): Heinrich, C. 1926. Revision of the North American moths of the subfamilies Laspeyresiinae and Olethreutinae. Bulletin of the United States National Museum. 132: 1-216. from North Carolina are dubious
C. miscitata	Pinus ponderosa, Pinus jeffreyi	northern California and southern Oregon	Heinrich (1926)Heinrich (1926): Heinrich, C. 1926. Revision of the North American moths of the subfamilies Laspeyresiinae and Olethreutinae. Bulletin of the United States National Museum. 132: 1-216. hypothesized this to be a hybrid of C. piperana/C. injectiva
C. colorana	Pinus edulis	Colorado, Nevada, California

 

 

Host plant table (embedded)

View full screen host table here

Photo Credits

Fig. 4: Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service (www.insectimages.org)

Links

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