Cydia Hübner (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Grapholitini)
Cydia is a worldwide genus that contains approximately 250 described species. A recent phylogeny suggests that Cydia may be paraphyletic, with some species such as C. saltitans, likely belonging to other genera of Grapholitini (Hu et al. 2023Hu et al. 2023:
Hu, G.-L., Brown, J.W., Heikkilä, M., Aarvik, L., Mutanen, M. 2023. Molecular phylogeny, divergence time, biogeography and trends in host plant usage in the agriculturally important tortricid tribe Grapholitini (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae). Cladistics. 39(5): 359-381.).
Adults are small to medium sized, and many species are gray-brown with a distinct ocellus. The genus is characterized by a thickened anal fold on the ventral surface of the male hindwing that contains a hair-pencil and modified sex scales (Horak 2006Horak 2006:
Horak, M. 2006. Olethreutine moths of Australia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, Vol. 10. 522 pp.). Male genitalia are characterized by the absence of an uncus and socii and constriction of the valval neck. Females usually have two signa in the corpus bursae.
Cydia larvae are borers in the fruit, nuts, cones, and pods of mainly Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Pinaceae, and Rosaceae. Larvae are whitish to reddish and resemble those of other internally feeding olethreutines. Grapholita larvae are similar in appearance, but the two genera can usually be separated by the anal comb, which is present in many Grapholita and absent in most Cydia.
For more information on Cydia larvae, please consult the fact sheet and keys on LepIntercept.
This genus contains many pest species, such as C. pomonella, which is the most widely distributed and important pest of apple (Malus spp.), pear (Pyrus sp.), and walnuts (Juglans sp.) in the world. Cydia larvae are some of the most commonly intercepted tortricid larvae at United States ports of entry, and the species treated here cover the most commonly intercepted taxa, which arrive primarily from Asia, Europe, and South America. For photos of additional non-targets not covered here, visit the Moth Photographers Group link below.
Exotic species
Cydia strobilella
Adventive species
Native species
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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