Hedya nubiferana

Status

ADVENTIVE

PORT INTERCEPT | DOMESTIC SURVEY

Taxonomy

Hedya nubiferana (Haworth) (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Olethreutini)

Common names: green budworm, marbled orchard tortrix, spotted apple budworm

Synonyms: dimidioalba (Phalaena), flavella (Argyroploce variegana form), variegana (Tortrix)

Adult Recognition

FWL: 8.5–10.0 mm

Head, thorax gray-brown with intermixed black and chalky blue-gray scales; thoracic tuft present, but not always conspicuous; ground color of forewing dark brown overlaid with chalky blue-gray fasciae and scattered black patches of scales; distal third of forewing white to cream with elongate black dot at end of discal cell; male without forewing costal fold; forewing pale brown to dark brown.

Male genitalia are characterized by a narrow uncus expanded slightly at apex; socii small; valvae elongate, narrow, curved, with small patch of short, dense scales near base of sacculus. Female genitalia are characterized by a plate-like signa with deep medial notch, and two minute, thorn-like signa.

Larval Morphology

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.] and Chapman and Lienk (1971)Chapman and Lienk (1971):
Chapman, P. J., Lienk, S. E. 1971. Tortricid fauna of apple in New York (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); including an account of apple's occurrence in the state, especially as a naturalized plant. Spec. Publ. Geneva, NY: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. 122 pp..

Head, prothoracic shield black; body grayish green; pinacula small, black; legs, anal plate dark brown to black; SV group on A1, 2, 7, 8, 9 typically 2:3:2:2:2, rarely 2:2:2:2:2.

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.].

Pupa reddish brown or black.

Similar Species

Hedya nubiferana is very similar to H. separatana and H. ochroleucana. Hedya separatana, a native North American species, has a much smaller forewing length (5.5–7.5 mm) and more pinkish scaling in the distal region of the forewing. The North American taxon referred to as H. ochroleucana may represent a cryptic species complex closely related to the European H. ochroleucana (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.). Regardless, H. nubiferana tends to have a white distal area of the forewing with a straight proximal margin, whereas members of the H. ochroleucana complex have a yellower distal area with a more convex proximal margin. The genitalia of both sexes of all three species are quite distinct. Some species of Apotomis can look superficially similar to H. nubiferana, but the genitalia are distinct.

Distribution

Hedya nubiferana was introduced into North America from Europe, where it is distributed throughout most of continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Russia, Turkey, and the Middle East. Reports from North Africa require confirmation. It was introduced to North America in Nova Scotia in 1913 and British Columbia in 1914. It is now distributed throughout much of northeastern North America and the Pacific Northwest.

Biology

The following account is summarized from Chapman and Lienk (1971)Chapman and Lienk (1971):
Chapman, P. J., Lienk, S. E. 1971. Tortricid fauna of apple in New York (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); including an account of apple's occurrence in the state, especially as a naturalized plant. Spec. Publ. Geneva, NY: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. 122 pp..

In New York, there is a single generation per year, with adults active from late May throughout June. Eggs are laid singly or in small clusters on leaves of a host plant, with young instars feeding on leaves and occasionally fruits. Females lay between 125 and 580 eggs total. Overwintering occurs as a third instar larva in dry bud scales, under dried leaves still attached to the tree, and in crevices of bark. Feeding resumes the following spring with larvae attacking newly emerged flower buds and leaves. Pupation occurs in rolled or tied leaves and adult eclose approximately three weeks later.

Most larval records are from Rosaceae, including apple (Malus spp.) and hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), but other families are reported from Europe, some of which may require verification.

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.