Acleris comariana (Lienig & Zeller) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Tortricini)
Common names: strawberry tortrix
Synonyms: baracola (Acalla), burnneana (ab.), comparana (ab.), fasciana (ab.), fuscana (ab.), latifasciana (ab.), meincki (Acalla), potentillana (ab.), proteana (ab.)
FWL: 5.0–8.5 mm
Seven forms or aberrations have been described, many of which are identical in appearance to other Acleris species such as A. laterana (Fabricus) and A. extensana (Walker). Wing pattern among the different forms varies considerably, but all have a dark triangular costal patch which ranges in color from black to brown to red. Males lack a forewing costal fold.
The general form of the male genitalia is sufficient to place individuals in the A. comariana/laterana complex. Female genitalia are less diagnostic but A. comariana has a much-reduced signum.
The following account is summarized from Petherbridge (1920)Petherbridge (1920):
Petherbridge, F. R. 1920. The life history of the Strawberry Tortrix, Oxygrapha comariana (Zeller). Annals of Applied Biology. 7: 6-10. and Turner (1968)Turner (1968):
Turner, J. R. G. 1968. The ecological genetics of Acleris comariana (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a pest of strawberry. Journal of Animal Ecology. 37: 489-520..
Early instar larvae are white with a black head, prothoracic shield, and legs. Abdomen color varies in later instars, but all have a darker subdorsal line and conspicuous brown pinacula. The head is yellowish brown along with the prothoracic shield, which has a dark brown or black posterior margin. Larvae of Acleris laterana can be distinguished from A. comariana by the dark brown to black posterior margin of the prothoracic shield, which has two subdorsal spots in A. laterana, and brown pinacula with are concolorous with the abdomen and not conspicuous in A. laterana. Acleris laterana has not been recorded from North America.
Acleris comariana is most closely related to the European A. laterana, which is referred to by the synonym A. latifasciana in many publications. Because Sheldon (1925)Sheldon (1925):
Sheldon, W. G. 1925. Peronea comariana Zeller, and its variation. Entomologist. 58: 281-285. described many of the A. comariana forms using names identical to Acleris species names, literature discussions of differences in species and forms must be carefully followed to avoid confusion. Acleris laterana is not known to occur in North America.
Razowski (2002)Razowski (2002):
Razowski, J. 2002. Tortricidae of Europe, Vol. 1, Tortricinae and Chlidanotinae. Frantisek Slamka, Slovakia. 247 pp. illustrates differences in genitalia that can be used to separate A. comariana from other closely related European Acleris.
In the Palearctic, Acleris comariana is widely distributed across Europe to China and Japan. In North America, it is present in the Pacific Northwest, where it was first identified in British Columbia in 1972 (Cram 1973Cram 1973:
Cram, W. T. 1973. Occurrence of the strawberry tortrix, Acleris comariana (Zeller), a new pest in British Columbia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia. 70: 17.). Reports from Washington require confirmation. A similar species previously identified as A. comariana in eastern North America likely represents an undescribed, cryptic species (Gilligan et al. 2020bGilligan et al. 2020b:
Gilligan T. M., Brown, J. W., Baixeras, J. 2020b. Immigrant Tortricidae: Holarctic versus Introduced Species in North America. Insects. 11(9): 1-59.). Acleris comariana has also been introduced to New Zealand.
The following account is summarized from Petherbridge (1920)Petherbridge (1920):
Petherbridge, F. R. 1920. The life history of the Strawberry Tortrix, Oxygrapha comariana (Zeller). Annals of Applied Biology. 7: 6-10. and Turner (1968)Turner (1968):
Turner, J. R. G. 1968. The ecological genetics of Acleris comariana (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a pest of strawberry. Journal of Animal Ecology. 37: 489-520..
Acleris comariana completes two generations in Europe, with adults present from mid June to July and again from late August to early November. It prefers wetlands and bogs where many of its host plants occur. Females deposit eggs on lower parts of the plant, usually on the stipules or petioles. Eggs from the first generation hatch in approximately 10 days; those of the second generation turn a reddish color and hatch the following spring. Larvae feed inside tied or folded leaves although they may also feed on flowers of some hosts. In strawberry (Fragaria spp.), flower-feeding causes distortion of fruit or prevents it from developing. Pupation occurs in a cocoon that is constructed in a rolled leaf or between the stem and petioles.
Acleris comariana feeds on a variety of plants in the family Rosaceae. Records of A. laterana (=latifasciana) on Rhododendron from continental Europe are thought to refer to A. comariana.
View full screen host table here
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
idtools.org
TortAI tool images at ipmimages.org - ITP Node
