Acleris literana

Status

EXOTIC

PORT INTERCEPT

Taxonomy

Acleris literana (Linnaeus) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Tortricini)

Common names: sprinkled rough-wing, lichen button

Synonyms: too many to list here, but see Gilligan et al. (2018)Gilligan et al. (2018):
Gilligan, T. M., Baixeras, J., Brown, J. W. 2018. T@RTS: Online World Catalogue of the Tortricidae (Ver. 4.0). http://www.tortricid.net/catalogue.asp [accessed 8 October 2020]. for a full list, including synonyms, forms, aberrations, and varieties (35+ names).

Adult Recognition

FWL: 9.0–11.0 mm

Acleris literana is a variable species, with many described forms and aberrations, but most specimens possess a forewing with light green ground color with black and white streaks and scattered patches of raised scales. The hindwing is pale gray, becoming darker apically.

Male genitalia are characterized by uncus absent; socii well-developed; valvae triangular with a well-developed sacculus and densely setose brachiola. The female genitalia are characterized by a sterigma with strong anterolateral processes and a single stellate signa in the corpus bursae.

Larval Morphology

Detailed descriptions of the larva of Acleris literana and its chaetotaxy are not available at present.

In the UK, the larvae of A. literana are easily distinguished from other oak-feeding tortricids which occur at the same time by “the prothoracic markings and the greyish green tapered body” (Bland et al. 2015Bland et al. 2015:
Bland, K. P., Hancock, E.F., Razowski, J. 2015. The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 5: Tortricidae, Pt 1: Tortricinae amp; Chlidanotinae. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. 245 pp.). 

Similar Species

Acleris literana is unlikely to be confused with any other species of Tortricidae. The combination of light green ground color with patches of raised scales will serve to separate it from native species of Tortricidae with the possible exception of Proteoteras moffatiana. They can be separated by resting posture: A. literana is flattened whereas P. moffatiana rests with its wings wrapped tent-like around the body.

Distribution

Acleris literana is widespread in north and central Europe, with additional records from Italy, Sardinia, Russia, and Asia Minor (Bland et al. 2015Bland et al. 2015:
Bland, K. P., Hancock, E.F., Razowski, J. 2015. The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 5: Tortricidae, Pt 1: Tortricinae amp; Chlidanotinae. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. 245 pp.).

Biology

The following account is summarized from Sheldon (1921)Sheldon (1921):
Sheldon, W. G. 1921. Oxigrapha literana , L.: its life-cycle, distribution, and variation. Entomologist. 54: 157-161..

Eggs are laid singly or in groups of two to three on twigs of oak (Quercus spp.) in April to May. Larvae feed from late April to early July, before pupating in spun leaves of oak in late June to July. In the UK, Acleris literana completes a single generation per year, with adults appearing in late August to October, and again in April and May, having overwintered as adults.

Though larvae seem to prefer plants in the family Fagaceae, especially oaks (Quercus spp.), but will apparently also accept apple (Malus spp.), birch (Betula spp.), basswood (Tilia spp.), and maple (Acer spp.) in captivity.

Plant Associations

View full screen host table here