Gypsonoma aceriana (Duponchel) (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Eucosmini)
Common names: european poplar shoot borer, poplar twig borer, rosy-cloaked shoot borer
Synonyms: belgiensis (Gypsonoma aceriana form)
FWL: 5.0–6.5 mm
Head, thorax brown, tinged with red-orange scales in some individuals; forewing with basal third chalky blue-gray, dark brown, black, or some combination of the three; distal two-thirds of the forewing white to cream, occasionally suffused with chalky blue gray scales along costal portions of the strigulae and fasciae; postmedian interfascia pale brown, often obsolete; ocellus faint; black semi-circle present near apex; male without forewing costal fold; hindwing gray or brown.
Male genitalia characterized by uncus and gnathos absent; socii broad and large; valva broad and short; cucullus with three to five short, heavily sclerotized spines along distal margin. Female genitalia characterized by lamella antevaginalis a narrow band; corpus bursae with 2 thorn-like signa.
The following account is summarized from 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.].
Head, prothoracic shield, legs, anal shield dark brown to black; body yellowish brown; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 numbering 2:2:2:2:1. A detailed description of larval chaetotaxy is available in 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.].
Gypsonoma aceriana is very similar to G. haimbachiana, a native eastern North American species which also uses Populus. Adults of G. aceriana tend to have the distal two-thirds of the forewing lighter and not as gray, resulting in a more strongly contrasting forewing pattern.
The genitalia of the two species is quite distinct as well. The male valvae of G. aceriana are broader and possess short spines along the distal margin. Differences in the female genitalia are subtle and involve slight differences in the shape of the sterigma and size of the signa.
Photographs of larvae and larval feeding damage in Europe are very similar to North American examples of G. haimbachiana in North America.
Gypsonoma aceriana is distributed broadly in the Palearctic region, occurring throughout Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor. Records from Japan are dubious and are probably based on misidentification of other species of Gypsonoma. It has been introduced accidentally into North America, where the earliest records date from 1980 in British Columbia (Humble et al. 2009Humble et al. 2009:
Humble, L. M., DeWaard, J. R., Quinn, M. 2009. Delayed recognition of the European poplar shoot borer, Gypsonoma aceriana (Duponchel) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in Canada. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia. 106: 61–70.). It has subsequently spread to Washington. A photograph of an individual identified as G. aceriana in California requires verification.
The following account is summarized from Miller and LaGasa (2001)Miller and LaGasa (2001):
Miller, W. E., LaGasa, E. H. 2001. First report of Gypsonoma aceriana (Duponchel) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), an Old World pest, in North America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 103: 1020-1022. and Humble et al. (2009)Humble et al. (2009):
Humble, L. M., DeWaard, J. R., Quinn, M. 2009. Delayed recognition of the European poplar shoot borer, Gypsonoma aceriana (Duponchel) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in Canada. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia. 106: 61-70..
There are two generations per year in southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor and a single generation per year in northern Europe. It is unclear whether this species is univoltine or bivoltine in North America.
Eggs are laid in mid- to late summer on the undersides of leaves along veins (as opposed to the upper surface in Gypsonoma haimbachiana). First instar larvae are leaf miners, creating distinctive hook-shaped mines. Young larvae then overwinter in bark crevices. Feeding resumes in the spring when terminal shoots begin to emerge as the larvae bore into fresh buds and shoots. This creates conspicuous gall-like swellings along stems and twigs. Pupation occurs on the bark or ground and adults eclose one to two weeks later.
The specific epithet of this species may be a misnomer. Most published host records for this species relate to poplar (Populus spp.). Records from maple (Acer spp.) and elm (Ulmus spp.) (see Bentinck and Diakonoff 1968Bentinck and Diakonoff 1968:
Bentinck, G. A. G., Diakonoff, A. 1968. De Nederlandse bladrollers (Tortricidae). Monografieen van de Nederlandsche Entomologische Vereeniging. 3: 1-201 [In Dutch]., Pinto Coelho Heitor and Maia Santos 1979Pinto Coelho Heitor and Maia Santos 1979:
Pinto Coelho Heitor, F., Maia Santos, M. S. 1979. Los pajaros en la limitacion de insectos daninos a las frondosas. Bolet in del Servicio de Defensa contra Plagas e Inspeccion Fitopatologica. 5: 97-100 [In Spanish].) are dubious and require confirmation. This species has the potential to become a significant pest of Populus in western North America (Miller and LaGasa 2001Miller and LaGasa 2001:
Miller, W. E., LaGasa, E. H. 2001. First report of Gypsonoma aceriana (Duponchel) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), an Old World pest, in North America. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 103: 1020-1022.).
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Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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