Argyrotaenia kimballi

Status

NATIVE

DOMESTIC SURVEY

Taxonomy

Argyrotaenia kimballi Obraztsov (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Archipini)

Common name: Kimball’s leafroller moth

Adult Recognition

FWL: 5.0–9.5 mm (males); 6.5–11 mm (females)

Argyrotaenia kimballi can usually be separated from other species of Argyrotaenia by its distinctly bicolored median fascia, its wide pale gray or sometimes pink-washed submedian interfascia, and the absence of a club-like projection into the median fascia which is present in many other members of Argyrotaenia.

Male genitalia are characterized by a narrow, finger-like uncus; reduced socii; and rounded, membranous valvae. Female genitalia are characterized by a ductus bursae with a sclerotized plate near the ostium and a large, hook-shaped signum in the corpus bursae with a well-developed capitulum.

Larval Morphology

Larval morphology is unknown for this species.

Similar Species

Argyrotaenia kimballi is very similar to several other species of Argyrotaenia, such as A. pinatubana and A. velutinana, but both of these species lack the gray- or pink-washed interfasciae present in A. kimballi. The median fascia, though occasionally bicolored in these two species, is never as strongly contrasting as in A. kimballi.

Distribution

Argyrotaenia kimballi is distributed in the southeastern United States, from Maryland south to Florida and west to Texas and Arkansas. It is also known from The Bahamas (Austin et al. 2019Austin et al. 2019:
Austin, K. A., Dombroskie, J. J., Matthews, D. L., Miller, J. Y. 2019. A review of the Archipini of The Bahamas with the description of a new species of Argyrotaenia Stephens (Tortricidae). Journal of the Lepidopteristsrsquo; Society. 73(1): 5-17.).

Biology

Bullock et al. (1998)Bullock et al. (1998):
Bullock, R. C., Killer, E. E., Pelosi, R. R. 1998. Population dynamic and citrus fruit damage by two species of leafroller, Argyrotaenia amatana and Argyrotaenia kimballi (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society. 110. 27-32. reported A. kimballi being an occasional and minor Citrus pest in Florida. Larvae tie three or four young terminal leaves together and feed on fresh leaves of surrounding branches as well as the wilting leaves which have been tied together. They reportedly feed on the fruit as well as the leaves. Though Citrus is its only current reported host plant, it is likely polyphagous. Its host plant usage in other areas of its range is unknown.

Plant Associations

View full screen host table here

Links

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