Exotic, but established
Ditula angustiorana (Haworth) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)
Common names: apricot moth, vine tortrix, red-barred tortrix, narrow-winged red-bar
Synonyms: augustiorana (Ditula), dumeriliana (Paedisca), rotundana (Tortrix), saturana (Capua)
FWLFWL:
forewing length; the distance from the base of the forewing to the apex, including fringe
: 6.0-7.5 mm
Ditula angustiorana is a noticeably sexually dimorphic species. Males have the head, thorax, and thoracic tuft dark glossy gray; forewing with fasciaefascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
pale yellow-orange, often heavily suffused with pink-orange or dark glossy gray scaling; distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
area of forewing often with distinct black horizontal streaks; costal fold present, well-developed, covered in dark glossy gray scaling; and hindwing dark gray or black. Female have the head, thorax pink-orange, thoracic tuft orange-brown; forewing with ground color pink-orange; median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing orange-brown; distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment area of forewing similar to male; and hindwing similar to male.
Male genitalia are characterized by short, broad, quadrate uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; valvaevalva:
an appendage flanking the intromittent organ that is used to clasp the female during copulation
somewhat rectangular; phallusphallus:
the male intromittent organ (penis); see "aedeagus" 
pistol-shaped. Female genitalia are characterized by broad, funnel-like sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae 
; long, relatively broad ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
; dagger-like signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
.
The following account is summarized from MacKay (1962a).
Mature larva approximately 12-14 mm; width of head 1.2-1.4 mm; head brownish yellow, darker pigmentation present laterally; thoracic shield typically yellow, fading to brown in some specimens; pinaculapinaculum:
flattened sclerotized plates on a caterpillar that bear the setae
brownish; legs yellow; body pale; anal fork moderately developed; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 typically 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).
Ditula angustiorana could be confused with several species of Argyrotaenia, such as A. pinatubana and A. velutinana, but these species do not occur in the western U.S. and lack a costal fold. The genitalia of the two genera are very distinct.
The following account is summarized from van Frankenhuyzen & De Jong (1980).
In the Netherlands, there is a single generation per year. Eggs are laid in late June and early July in small clusters on the leaves or needles of the host plant. Larvae hatch in approximately two weeks. They then disperse and begin feeding, but very slowly before constructing hibernacula by spinning leaves or needles together. Activity ceases in early September by which point the larvae have only grown a little. Overwintering larvae resume feeding in the spring and pupation takes place in a spun silken shelter. Adults eclose in mid to late June. The life cycle of this species in North America is virtually identical except larvae seem to prefer yew (Taxus spp.), whereas in Europe they are be more polyphagous.
| Host plant | Host plant family | Reference(s) |
| Ilex aquifolium | Aquifoliaceae | 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. |
| Ilex sp. | Aquifoliaceae | Clarke 1930Clarke 1930: Clarke, J.F.G. 1930. Entomology. Report Prov. Museum of Natural History, British Columbia, 1929: 12-16. |
| Hedera helix | Araliaceae | Ford 1949Ford 1949: Ford, L. T. 1949. A guide to the smaller British Lepidoptera. South London Entomological and Natural History Society, London, England. 230 pp.; 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. |
| Hieracium sp. | 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. |
| Begonia sp. | Begoniaceae | van Frankenhuyzen & De Jong 1980 |
| Alnus sp. | Betulaceae | van Frankenhuyzen & De Jong 1980 |
| Betula sp. | Betulaceae | van Frankenhuyzen & De Jong 1980 |
| Corylus sp. | Betulaceae | van Frankenhuyzen & De Jong 1980 |
| Buxus sempervirens | Buxaceae | 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. |
| Lonicera periclymenum | Caprifoliaceae | Fox 2004Fox 2004: Fox, B. W. 2004. A study of the guild of Lepidoptera foraging on honeysuckle, Lonicera periclymenum L. Entomologistrsquo;s Gazette. 55: 35-43. |
| Juniperus communis | Cupressaceae | 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. |
| Thuja plicata | Cupressaceae | 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. |
| Hippophae rhamnoides | Elaeagnaceae | 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. |
| Rhododendron sp. | Ericaceae | Hey 1935Hey 1935: Hey, S.L. 1935. Notes on Tortricidae. Entomologist's Monthly Magazine. 71: 253-255.; 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.; van Frankenhuyzen & De jong 1980 |
| 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. |
| Quercus sp. | Fagaceae | 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.; van Frankenhuyzen & De Jong 1980 |
| Geranium sp. | Geraniaceae | van Frankenhuyzen & De Jong 1980 |
| Laurus nobilis | Lauraceae | 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. |
| Laurus sp. | Lauraceae | Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson. |
| Ligustrum sp. |
View full screen host table here
Ditula angustiorana is broadly distributed in Europe. It was introduced into North America in the late 1920s and now can be found from British Columbia south to California.
