Archips goyerana
Encyclopedia
The Baldcypress Leafroller (Archips goyerana) is a moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...

 of the Tortricidae
Tortricidae
Tortricidae is a family of moths, commonly known as tortrix moths, in the order Lepidoptera. Tortricidae is a large family with over 9,400 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea. Many of these are economically important pests. Olethreutidae is a junior synonym...

 family.

Distribution

It is known from southern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

 and south-western Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...

. It originally may have been endemic to forested wetlands, but has undergone a population explosion and expansion of its range since 1983.

Biology

The larvae feed on Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum
Taxodium distichum is a species of conifer native to the southeastern United States.-Characteristics:...

and are considered a serious pest of that tree species.
There is one generation per year, with overwintering egg masses attached to the bark of
thin twigs of the host plant in obligate diapause. Dormant eggs hatch by bud break of baldcypress trees during late February and early March. The first instar larvae disperse and seek out the terminal portions of expanding foliage, burrow within the cluster of young needles and begin feeding. They feed on the opening leaf buds and elongating leaves. As the foliage expands, developing larvae produce silk to roll adjacent needles and branchlets into a
tight mass, surrounding themselves individually and then feeding on the foliage inside. Larvae undergo five larval instars before pupation. Adults emerge between late April and mid May.

Etymology

The species is named for Richard A. Goyer of the Department of Entomology, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He collected the holotype as well as most of the paratypes, and is responsible for the majority of the research on the biology and ecology of the species.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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