Type

Native

Taxonomy

Sparganothis senecionana (Walsingham) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Sparganothini)

Synonyms: rudana (Oenectra)

Adult Recognition

FWL: 7.0-12.5 mm

Forewings are pale yellow with brown to purplish-brown markings. Wing pattern varies greatly, but most individuals are marked with an incomplete median fasciafascia:
a dark transverse band on the forewing
and conspicuous costal spotcostal spot:
a patch of contrasting scales on the costa, usually a remnant of the postmedian or preterminal fascia
. The distaldistal:
farthest from body, distant from point of attachment
half of the wing may be lightly shaded or solid brown. Labial palpilabial palpi:
a pair of sensory appendages that project from the lower part of the head; usually covered in scales and three-segmented
are long. Males lack a forewing costal foldforewing costal fold:
a flap or fold at the base of the forewing that contains specialized sex scales
. The hindwings vary from white to pale brown. 

Male genitalia are characterized by a long, slender uncusuncus:
a sclerotized process which is fused to the posterodorsal margin of tergum IX
; elongate sociisocii:
a pair of lightly sclerotized setose lobes
; and elliptical valvaevalvae:
plural of "valva"
. Female genitalia are characterized by a somewhat rounded sterigmasterigma:
the sclerotized region surrounding the female ostium bursae
; a twice-coiled ductus bursaeductus bursae:
a membranous tube connecting the ostium bursae to the corpus bursae
; and signumsignum:
a sclerotized projection or patch on the interior of the corpus bursae
present as a irregular, rugose band near the base of the corpus bursaecorpus bursae:
a dilated membranous sac at the anterior end of the bursa copulatrix
. 

Larval Morphology

Larval morphology has not been described for this species, but is likely similar to other species of Sparganothis.

Similar Species

Adults may be confused with other Sparganothis. Sparganothis tunicana is similar but can be distinguished from S. senecionana by its smaller size and shorter labial palpilabial palpi:
a pair of sensory appendages that project from the lower part of the head; usually covered in scales and three-segmented
.

Biology

The following account is summarized from Powell & Brown (2012).

Sparganothis senecionana is typically univoltine, but can be facultatively bivoltine under the right conditions. Adults are present April to August depending on location.

Larvae are highly polyphagous and generally feed on flowers of the host. In California, larvae hatch from the egg, construct a silk hibernaculum, and enter an obligate diapause that lasts through the dry season. Activity is resumed again at the onset of winter rains.

Larvae of S. senecionana have been recorded feeding on plants in nearly 20 families.

Host plant	Host plant family	Reference(s)
Brodiaea sp.	Amaryllidaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Lomatium californicum	Apiaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Achillea milleflorum	Asteraceae	De Benedicitis et al. 1990; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Achillea sp.	Asteraceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Anaphalis margaritacea	Asteraceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Artemisia douglasiana	Asteraceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Balsamorhiza sagittata	Asteraceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Gnaphalium sp.	Asteraceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Hieracium scouleri var. albertinum	Asteraceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Senecio integerrimus	Asteraceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Senecio sp.	Asteraceae	Meyrick MS 1938Meyrick MS 1938: Meyrick MS 1938. Unpublished manuscript by E. Meyrick at BMNH, data captured by Gaeden Robinson.; 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).
Wyethia sp.	Asteraceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Cynoglossum grande	Boraginaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Horkelia californica	Boraginaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Horkelia sp.	Boraginaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Barbarea orthoceras	Brassicaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Hypericum perforatum	Clusiaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Cornus sp.	Cornaceae	LaGasa database 2004LaGasa database 2004: LaGasa database. 2004. Food plant data base and personal communications with E. LaGasa, Washington State Department of Agriculture.
Lupinus albi fronsfrons: the upper anterior portion of the head (in adults)	Fabaceae	De Benedictis et al. 1990De Benedictis et al. 1990: De Benedictis, J. A., Wagner, D. L., Whitfield, J. B. 1990. Larval hosts of Microlepidoptera of the San Bruno Mountains, California. Atala. 16: 14-35.
Thermopsis macrophylla	Fabaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Eriodictyon californicum	Hydrophyllaceae	Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Phacelia californica	Hydrophyllaceae	De Benedicitis et al. 1990; Powell 2006Powell 2006: Powell, J. A. 2006. Database of Lepidoptera rearing lots, 1960-2005. University of California Berkeley, CA.
Phacelia hastata	Hydrophyllaceae	Host plant table (embedded) View full screen host table here Distribution Sparganothis senecionana is distributed throughout western North America from British Columbia to Baja California and east to Alberta, Colorado, and Arizona. It is absent in desert locations. Records from Ontario, Quebec, and the northeastern United States are dubious and likely are referable to other similar species of Sparganothis.  Links Additional photos and a distribution map of this species in North America are available at Moth Photographers Group. Male Male Male Male Male genitalia Female genitalia previous next