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Epinotia spp.

Status

EXOTIC | ADVENTIVE | NATIVE

PORT INTERCEPT | DOMESTIC SURVEY

Taxonomy

Epinotia Hübner (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Eucosmini)

Overview

Epinotia is a large genus composed of 187 described species (Brown and Brown 2018Brown and Brown 2018:
Brown, J. W., Brown, R. L. 2018. Revised Status of Epinotia cupressi Heinrich and Descriptions of Two New Species of Epinotia Huuml;bner, [1825], from the Western U.S.A. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(4): 675-686.), about 80 of which occur in the Nearctic region (Powell and Opler 2009Powell and Opler 2009:
Powell, J. A., Opler, P. A. 2009. Moths of western North America. University of California Press, Berkeley. 369 pp.). The Holarctic region has a similar level of diversity; a few species are known from the Neotropical, Indomalayan, and Madagascan regions.

Host plants are known for many of many species, and most species are assumed to be host specific (Brown and Brown 2018Brown and Brown 2018:
Brown, J. W., Brown, R. L. 2018. Revised Status of Epinotia cupressi Heinrich and Descriptions of Two New Species of Epinotia Huuml;bner, [1825], from the Western U.S.A. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 120(4): 675-686.), with records from a wide range of plant families, including both conifers and angiosperms. Larvae are leaf-tiers, catkin borers, or needle miners (Gilligan et al. 2008Gilligan et al. 2008:
Gilligan, T. M., Wright, D. J., Gibson, L. D. 2008. Olethreutine moths of the midwestern United States, an identification guide. Ohio Biological Survey, Columbus, Ohio. 334 pp.). Most species of Epinotia are univoltine, often either flying in the early spring or late fall, depending on species.

An unpublished Ph.D. thesis by Richard L. Brown (1980)Brown (1980):
Brown, R. L. 1980. A revision of the genus Epinotia Huuml;bner (Tortricidae: Eucosmini), part 1. The North American species of the stroemiana lineage. Ph.D. thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. is the most thorough revision of the genus. The most relevant treatment of the North American fauna is that of Brown (1987b)Brown (1987b):
Brown, R. L. 1987b. Resurrection of Catastega Clemens and revision of the Epinotia vertumnana (Zeller) species-group (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae). Journal of the Lepidopteristsrsquo; Society. 40: 327-346., which included members of the difficult Epinotia vertumnana species group.

Many species of Epinotia display significant intraspecific differences in forewing color and maculation, making examination of the genitalia necessary for some species. Even then, differences in genitalia are often subtle. Males may or may not possess a forewing costal fold. Male genitalia are typically characterized by a well-developed, bifid uncus; socii and valvae variously shaped. Female genitalia are characterized by a variably shaped sterigma; two horn- or thorn-like signa in the corpus bursae; and minute spinules on the inner surface of the corpus bursae.

No North American species of Epinotia are considered to be significant pests, although the introduced European E. nanana can be a pest on ornamental spruce. We include this genus on this site because of the high number of species that occur in North America.

Plant Associations

View full screen host table here

Links

Additional photos and distribution maps for species in North America are available at Moth Photographers Group.
E. lindana . © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. lindana. © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. medioviridana . © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. medioviridana. © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. nanana . © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. nanana. © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. nisella . © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. nisella. © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. transmissana . © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. transmissana. © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. vertumnana . © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E. vertumnana. © John W. Brown. Image used with permission.
E . trigonella male genitalia. © Chris Lewis. britishlepidoptera.weebly.com. Image used with permission.
E. trigonella male genitalia. © Chris Lewis. britishlepidoptera.weebly.com. Image used with permission.
E . trigonella female genitalia. © Chris Lewis. britishlepidoptera.weebly.com. Image used with permission.
E. trigonella female genitalia. © Chris Lewis. britishlepidoptera.weebly.com. Image used with permission.