Tortricidae
Encyclopedia
Tortricidae is a family
of moth
s, 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. The typical resting posture is with the wings folded back producing a rather rounded profile.
See also Mexican jumping bean moth (Cydia deshaisiana)
The Codling moth
Cydia pomonella is the species which causes worm-holes in apple
s. It has been accidentally spread from its original range in Europe and is now found in North
and South America
, South Africa
, Australia
and New Zealand
wherever apples are grown. Control has required the use of the harshest available insecticides - historically lead arsenate and DDT
were used. These chemicals brought considerable environmental dangers, and in any case the insect gradually developed resistance to them. Currently organophosphate
sprays are favoured, timed carefully to catch the hatching larvae before they can bore into the fruit.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of 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...
s, commonly known as tortrix moths, in the order Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
. Tortricidae is a large family with over 9,400 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
Tortricoidea. Many of these are economically important pests. Olethreutidae is a junior synonym. The typical resting posture is with the wings folded back producing a rather rounded profile.
Some common Tortricids
The Tortricids include many economically important pests, including :-- Summer fruit tortrix moth (Adoxophyes oranaAdoxophyes oranaThe Summer Fruit Tortrix is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic ecozone and Taiwan.The wingspan is 17–22 mm. The moth flies in two generations from May to November....
) - Fruit tree tortrix moth (Archips podanaArchips podanaThe Large Fruit-tree Tortrix is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe, Anatolia and is an introduced species in North America.The wingspan is 18–26 mm. The moth flies in one generation from June to September....
) - Rose leaf roller (Archips rosanaArchips rosanaThe Rose Tortrix is a moth of the Tortricidae family. It is found in both the Palearctic ecozone and the Nearctic ecozone.The wingspan is 15–24 mm. The moths are on wing from May to August depending on the location....
) - Argyrotaenia ljungianaArgyrotaenia ljungianaArgyrotaenia ljungiana is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe.The wingspan is 12–16 mm. The moth flies in two generations from April to August. ....
, a pest on vines, maize and fruit trees - Peach moth (Cydia molesta)
- Codling mothCodling mothThe codling moth is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are known as an agricultural pest, their larva being the common apple worm or maggot. It is native to Europe and was introduced to North America, where it has become one of the regular pests of apple orchards. It is found...
(Cydia pomonella) - Plum fruit moth (Cydia funebranaCydia funebranaThe Plum Fruit Moth is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic ecozone. Like many of its congeners, it is sometimes placed in Cydia....
) - Pea moth (Cydia nigricanaCydia nigricanaThe Pea Moth is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe.The wingspan is 12–16 mm. The moth flies from May to July. .The larvae feed on Pea, Lathyrus and Vicia. The species is considered to be a pest.-Notes:...
) - Chestnut and acorn moth (Cydia splendanaCydia splendanaThe Chestnut Tortrix or Acorn Moth is a moth of the Tortricidae family. It is found in Europe.The wingspan is 12–16 mm. The moth flies from May to September depending on the location....
) - Grape berry moth (Endopiza viteana)
- Light brown apple mothLight brown apple mothThe light brown apple moth is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae.-Adult moths:...
(Epiphyas postvittana) - Hemp borer (Grapholita delineana)
- Oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta)
- Cherry fruitworm (Grapholita packardi)
- Vine moth (Lobesia botranaLobesia botranaThe European Grapevine Moth, Lobesia botrana, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia and the Caucasus.The wingspan is 12–13 mm....
) - Barred fruit tree tortrix moth (Pandemis cerasanaPandemis cerasanaThe Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe.The wingspan is 16-25 mm. The moth flies from June to August. .The larvae feed on various trees and shrubs including apple and pear.-Notes:...
) - Long-palped tortrix (Vine leaf roller) (Sparganothis pillerianaSparganothis pillerianaSparganothis pilleriana is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic ecozone.The wingspan is 20-25 mm. The moth flies in one generation from July to August. .The larvae feed on salix repens, fragaria and grape.-Notes:...
) - Bud moth (Spilonota ocellanaSpilonota ocellanaThe Bud Moth is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in the Palearctic ecozone and North America....
) - False codling mothFalse Codling MothThaumatotibia leucotreta commonly known as the False Codling Moth is a moth in the Tortricidae family under the order of Lepidoptera. Larvae of the moth feed on a wide range of crops from cotton and macadamia nuts to citrus...
(Thaumatotibia (Cryptophlebia) leucotreta)
See also Mexican jumping bean moth (Cydia deshaisiana)
A typical tortricid - the Codling moth
Tortricidae is considered to be the single most important family of insects that feed on apple, both economically and in diversity of feeding found on fruit, buds, leaves and shoots. In New York state, no less than 17 species of Tortricidae have gained pest status in regards to apple production.The Codling moth
Codling moth
The codling moth is a member of the Lepidopteran family Tortricidae. They are known as an agricultural pest, their larva being the common apple worm or maggot. It is native to Europe and was introduced to North America, where it has become one of the regular pests of apple orchards. It is found...
Cydia pomonella is the species which causes worm-holes in apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s. It has been accidentally spread from its original range in Europe and is now found in North
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
wherever apples are grown. Control has required the use of the harshest available insecticides - historically lead arsenate and DDT
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
were used. These chemicals brought considerable environmental dangers, and in any case the insect gradually developed resistance to them. Currently organophosphate
Organophosphate
An organophosphate is the general name for esters of phosphoric acid. Phosphates are probably the most pervasive organophosphorus compounds. Many of the most important biochemicals are organophosphates, including DNA and RNA as well as many cofactors that are essential for life...
sprays are favoured, timed carefully to catch the hatching larvae before they can bore into the fruit.
External links
- British Tortricoid MothsBritish Tortricoid MothsBritish Tortricoid Moths is a two-volume publication by J. D. Bradley, W. G. Tremewan and Arthur Smith, published by the Ray Society. It is the standard work on the tortricoid moths of Britain....
. - Tortricid.net
- Family Tortricidae at Lepidoptera.pro
- Eurasian Tortricidae
- Tortricid Fauna of Apple In New York.(LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE): Including An Account Of Apples' Occurrence In The State, Especially As A Naturalized Plant, written by P.J. Chapman and S.E. Link, Geneva: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, 1971
- Rhyacionia frustrana, Nantucket pine tip moth on the UFUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
/ IFASInstitute of Food and Agricultural SciencesThe University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
Featured Creatures Web site