Acleris minuta

Status

NATIVE

DOMESTIC SURVEY

Taxonomy

Acleris minuta (Robinson) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Tortricini)

Common names: yellow-headed fireworm, lesser apple leaf-folder

Synonyms: cinderella (Tortrix), malivorana (Tortrix), vacciniivorana (Tortrix), variolana (Teras)

Adult Recognition

FWL: 6.5–9.5 mm

Forewing color is uniform, and adults occur in two forms: a summer form which is yellow or orange; and an overwintering form, which is gray and is sometimes referred to as the “cinderella” form. Males lack a forewing costal fold.

Male genitalia are characterized by long, thin socii and a wide valva with the distal end of the sacculus greatly produced into a rounded lobe. Female genitalia are characterized by a wide ostium, partially twisted ductus bursae, and scobinate signum.

Larval Morphology

The following account is summarized from MacKay (1962a)MacKay (1962a):
MacKay, M. R. 1962a. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 28: 1-182.

Mature larva 10–12 mm in length; width of head approximately 1.1 mm. Head brownish yellow with darker pigmentation near ocellar area; body entirely greenish yellow; pinacula moderate in size; anal shield slightly tapered posteriorly; anal fork present with 6–8 spines; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 typically 3:3:2:2:1.

Similar Species

Acleris minuta is most similar to A. paracinderella Powell, which occurs in California. Powell (1964) speculated that A. paracinderella may merely be a western form of A. minuta. Some species of Sparganothis can be superficially similar to A. minuta in forewing pattern but can be separated by longer labial palpi and genitalia structure.

Distribution

Acleris minuta is widely distributed in eastern North America.

Biology

The following account is summarized from Weatherby (1982)Weatherby (1982):
Weatherby, J. C. 1982. The life system of the yellow-headed fireworm, Acleris minuta (Robinson) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Ph.D. thesis, Iowa State University Ames, Iowa. and Weatherby and Hart (1986)Weatherby and Hart (1986):
Weatherby, J. C., Hart, E. R. 1986. Developmental Polymorphism in Acleris minuta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Environmental Entomology. 15(2): 258-262..

Acleris minuta completes three or four generations over most of its range although only two generations have been recorded in northern localities. Adults of the first and second generation are orange or yellow and are present in June and August. Adults of the third generation and fourth generations are gray and are present in September to October. Overwintering occurs as a third or fourth generation adult. Females deposit eggs singly on bark in the spring or on leaves in the summer. Eggs hatch in 7–10 days and first instar larvae feed on the underside of leaves; later instars web together leaves to create a shelter or fold single leaves. Most larvae pass through five instars before pupating, but some pass through six or seven, especially the later generations.

In the past, this species has been recorded as a pest of apple (Malus spp.), plum (Prunus sp.), and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon). The common name “fireworm” refers to the larval damage during heavy infestations, which has the appearance of being caused by fire. Acleris minuta is not currently considered a significant pest.

Larvae have been reported feeding on several plants, mostly in the families Ericaceae and Rosaceae.

Plant Associations

View full screen host table here

Links

Additional photos and distribution map in North America available at Moth Photographers Group.