Cochylichroa hospes (Walsingham) (Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Cochylini)
Common name: banded sunflower moth
FWL: 5.5–8.0 mm
Head, thorax pale yellow; thoracic tuft present; ground color of forewing pale yellow; with large black triangular marking along inner margin extending to costa, this marking overlaid with scattered brownish scale patches; distal third of forewing pale yellow with silver and brownish-red markings; male without forewing costal fold; hindwing of both sexes gray.
Male genitalia are characterized by uncus small, reduced; valvae short, broad, with slender dorsoterminal portion armed with two thorns; sacculus long, curved mesally, densely spined. Female genitalia are characterized by sterigma large, rounded proximally, forming a shallow pocket, densely spined; ductus bursae slender, somewhat sclerotized medially; corpus bursae without signum.
The following account is summarized from Westdal (1949)Westdal (1949):
Westdal, P. H. 1949. A preliminary report on the biology of Phalonia hospes Wlshm (Lepidoptera: Phaloniidae), a new pest of sunflower in Manitoba. Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario. 80: 1-3. and Arthur and Powell (1990)Arthur and Powell (1990):
Arthur, A. P., Powell, Y. M. 1990. Description of the last-instar larva of Cochylis arthuri (Lepidoptera: Cochylidae) and characters for separating it from last-instar larva of Cochylis hospes Walsingham. Canadian Entomologist. 122: 627-631..
Newly hatched larva approximately 1.0 mm in length, white; head dark brown. There is a gradually change in body color through molts, from white initially to light pink or yellow, then reddish or purplish, and finally green as a mature larva.
Mature larva approximately 10.0 mm in length, thoracic shield yellow with orange bands near lateral and posterior margins; anal fork absent. A complete description of larval chaetotaxy is not available, but the chaetotaxy of the closely related Cochylichroa arthuri has been described and is likely very similar (Arthur and Powell 1990Arthur and Powell 1990:
Arthur, A. P., Powell, Y. M. 1990. Description of the last-instar larva of Cochylis arthuri (Lepidoptera: Cochylidae) and characters for separating it from last-instar larva of Cochylis hospes Walsingham. Canadian Entomologist. 122: 627-631.).
Pupa dark brown, approximately 6.0 mm in length.
As adults, Cochylichroa hospes could be easily confused with several other species of Cochylini, such as Thyraylia bunteana, Eupoecilia ambiguella, or Gynnidomorpha romonana, just to name a few. Dissection of the male or female genitalia may be required for a positive identification of adults.
As larvae, C. hospes most closely resembles the closely related C. arthuri, which also feeds on the seeds of sunflowers (Helianthus sp.). It can be separated by the characters described in Arthur and Powell (1990)Arthur and Powell (1990):
Arthur, A. P., Powell, Y. M. 1990. Description of the last-instar larva of Cochylis arthuri (Lepidoptera: Cochylidae) and characters for separating it from last-instar larva of Cochylis hospes Walsingham. Canadian Entomologist. 122: 627-631..
Cochylichroa hospes is broadly distributed in North America, from North Carolina north to New York, west to at least Saskatchewan, Utah, and northern Arizona. Much of the research on this species centers on the northern Great Plains and Canadian Prairies, where it can reach pest status.
The following account is summarized from Westdal (1949)Westdal (1949):
Westdal, P. H. 1949. A preliminary report on the biology of Phalonia hospes Wlshm (Lepidoptera: Phaloniidae), a new pest of sunflower in Manitoba. Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario. 80: 1-3..
In Manitoba, there is a single generation per year. From mid July to early August, single eggs are laid on the bracts of sunflower heads (Helianthus sp.) or on the upper surface of leaves near the head of the plant, most often on heads that are at the stage of growth just prior to flowering. Newly hatched larvae move from the bracts or leaves to the florets where they enter to feed on pollen. Larvae feed in this fashion until the third instar, when they tunnel through the base of the floret into the seed. A single larva may consume several seeds before completing development, which usually occurs in late August through September. Complete development of larvae takes approximately three weeks. Mature, fifth instar larvae overwinter in a constructed cocoon in the soil beneath the host plant. Pupation occurs the following spring, in late June. Adults eclose, on average, twelve days later in early July and are present through mid August. Two generations per year may occur in Utah.
Cochylichroa hospes is a specialist on the seeds of sunflower, especially common sunflower (Helianthus annuus). It can be a serious pest at times, destroying up to 40% of seeds in the most extreme cases of field infestations (Westdal 1949Westdal 1949:
Westdal, P. H. 1949. A preliminary report on the biology of Phalonia hospes Wlshm (Lepidoptera: Phaloniidae), a new pest of sunflower in Manitoba. Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario. 80: 1-3.).
View full screen host table here
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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