Cydia nigricana

Status

ADVENTIVE

PORT INTERCEPT | DOMESTIC SURVEY

Taxonomy

Cydia nigricana (Frabricius) (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Grapholitini)

Common name: pea moth

Synonyms: dandana (Enarmonia), novimundi (Laspeyresia), pisana (Endopisa), proximana (Tortrix), ratifera (Enarmonia), rativera (Laspeyresia), rusticella (Phalaena), tenebricosana (Endopisa), viciana (Endopisa)

Subspecies: asiatica (Siberia)

Adult Recognition

FWL: 5.5–7.5 mm

Adults of Cydia nigricana are predominantly shiny silver-gray, including the head, thorax, and basal two-third of the forewing. The distal third of the forewing appears copper-colored towards the apex under certain lighting conditions. An ocellus is faintly visible in most specimens. Seven pairs of white strigulae are present along the costa, becoming longer and more distinct towards the apex. The male lacks a costal fold. The labial palpi are short and upcurved, tightly appressed to the face.

Male genitalia are characterized by absence of uncus and socii; valvae are broad, rounded, with a short ventral process near base of cucullus. Female genitalia can be distinguished by an elongate ostium; short ductus bursae; and two short, thorn-like signa in the corpus bursae.

Larval Morphology

The following account is summarized from Wright and Geering (1948)Wright and Geering (1948):
Wright, D. W., Geering, Q. A., 1948. The Biology and Control of the Pea Moth, Laspeyresia nigricana, Steph. Bulletin of Entomological Research. 39(1): 57-84. and Swatschek (1958)Swatschek (1958):
Swatschek, B. 1958. Die larval systematik der wickler (Tortricidae und Carposinidae) aus dem zoologischen Institut der Universitat Erlangen. Akademie-Verlag, Berlin. 269 pp. [Abhandlungen zur larvalsystematik Insekten 3.].

First instar larvae whitish in color except for a brown head and prothoracic shield; approximately 1–2 mm long, 0.2 mm wide. As it feeds, the larva becomes a dark yellow color. The final instar larva measures between 12 and 14 mm in length.

Similar Species

Several species of Cydia and Grapholita are very similar to C. nigricana. Identifications are best made through examination of the genitalia.

Distribution

Cydia nigricana is broadly distributed throughout Europe, Russia, and Asia Minor. It was accidentally introduced to North America in eastern Canada in 1893 and again to British Columbia in 1933. It is now widespread across Canada and the northern United States. A cryptic species may also occur under this name in parts of Canada and the United States (Gilligan et al. 2020bGilligan et al. 2020b:
Gilligan T. M., Brown, J. W., Baixeras, J. 2020b. Immigrant Tortricidae: Holarctic versus Introduced Species in North America. Insects. 11(9): 1-59.). It has been reported from Barbados (Schotman 1989Schotman 1989:
Schotman, C. Y. L. 1989. Plant pests of quarantine importance to the Caribbean. RLAC-PROVEG, No. 21. 80 pp.), but this is likely an error.

Biology

The following account is summarized from Wright and Geering (1948)Wright and Geering (1948):
Wright, D. W., Geering, Q. A., 1948. The Biology and Control of the Pea Moth, Laspeyresia nigricana, Steph. Bulletin of Entomological Research. 39(1): 57-84..

In Europe, Cydia nigricana produces a single generation per year. A second partial generation has been reported from Washington state (Hanson and Webster 1936Hanson and Webster 1936:
Hanson, A. J., Webster, R. L. 1936. The pea moth Laspeyresia nigricana Steph. Washington Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin. 327: 1-22.). In the UK, adults eclose from mid June to early August. Mating and oviposition occurs in the following two weeks. Females lay eggs only on the upper half of the plant, and egg distribution appears to be random. Larvae hatch within the next two weeks, depending on temperature. The first instar larva is very active and will wander before boring into a pod. Larvae spend the rest of their development feeding on seeds inside the pod. The final instar is reached between 18 and 30 days after entering the pod. It then exits the pod through a cut hole and descends to the ground to overwinter in the soil. Most larvae overwinter at a depth of 2 inches or less. Pupation occurs May of the following year.

Cydia nigricana is oligophagous on the family Fabaceae, with reports from the following species in the Host Plants table shown below.

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.