Archips rileyana

Status

NATIVE

DOMESTIC SURVEY

Taxonomy

Archips rileyana (Grote) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Common name: southern ugly-nest caterpillar moth

Synonyms: fervidana (Cacoecia)

Adult Recognition

FWL: 10–15 mm

Head, thorax orange; forewing orange with two red spots along costa representing median and terminal fasciae, additional spots between veins sometimes present along these fasciae, but often obsolete or absent; male with forewing costal fold present; female termen sinuous; hindwing orange in both sexes.

Male genitalia are characterized by valvae obliquely triangular, moderate, a finger-like uncus; and a pistol-shaped uncus. Female genitalia are characterized by a ductus bursae membranous; signum moderate, pointed.

Larval Morphology

The following account is taken 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 approximately 23 mm in length. Head, prothoracic shield and legs dark brown; living larva yellow green in color; pinacula enormous, dark brown; anal fork absent; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 usually 3:3:3:2:2.

A more complete description of larval chaetotaxy is available in MacKay (1962a)MacKay (1962a):
MacKay, M. R. 1962a. Larvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 28: 1-182..

Similar Species

Archips rileyana is most similar to A. cerasivorana, a species with which it has sometimes been considered a subspecies (e.g., Freeman 1958Freeman 1958:
Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Canadian Entomologist, Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.). Obraztsov (1959)Obraztsov (1959):
Obraztsov, N. S. 1959. Characters separating Archips rileyanus and cerasivoranus as two species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Entomological News. 70: 263-267. considered it a full species, as have subsequent authors. The forewing of A. rileyana is more uniform in color and tends to have smaller, darker spots. The valvae of A. rileyana are more triangular than in A. cerasivorana, in which they tend to be fairly rounded. Female genitalia are very similar and almost indistinguishable. The larvae are significantly different in both their morphology and host preferences.

Distribution

Archips rileyana is primarily a southeastern species, with records from Pennsylvania to Missouri, south to Florida and Texas. California and Washington records in Obraztsov (1959)Obraztsov (1959):
Obraztsov, N. S. 1959. Characters separating Archips rileyanus and cerasivoranus as two species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Entomological News. 70: 263-267. are likely based on misidentifications.

Biology

Little is published on the life history or phenology of A. rileyana, but it is undoubtedly similar to A. cerasivorana except for preferred hosts. Larvae feed socially in webbed leaves through all instars throughout April with adults active from late May to early July.

Larvae of A. rileyana appear to have a preference for buckeye (Aesculus spp.), but have been recorded utilizing several other hosts.

Plant Associations

View full screen host table here

Links

Additional photos and a distribution map of this species in North America is available at Moth Photographers Group.