The tribe Olethreutini contains over 1,100 described species, making it the second-most diverse tribe of Olethreutinae, behind only Eucosmini. Several subgroups may deserve tribal status, but future work is needed. Horak (2006)Horak (2006):
Horak, M. 2006. Olethreutine moths of Australia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, Vol. 10. 522 pp. included the former tribe Gatesclarkeanini as the Gatesclarkeana group within the Olethreutini. Regier et al. (2012)Regier et al. (2012):
Regier J. C., Brown, J. W., Mitter, C., Baixeras, J., Cho, S., Cummings, P., Zwick, A. 2012. A molecular phylogeny for the leaf-roller moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and its implications for classification and life history evolution. PLoS ONE. 7(4): e35574. synonymized the former tribes Bactrini and Endothiini under Olethreutini as well. Its members occur worldwide, although the greatest diversity is in southeast Asia and the Holarctic. There are no synapomorphies that define the entire tribe, although a hindwing with veins M3 and CuA1 separate and a sacculus with two clusters of spines unite some species.
Many species can be recognized as members of Olethreutini by the short, upturned labial palpi; and relatively broad forewing with a complex and irregular pattern of fasciae. However, many exceptions exist. For example, Bactra have moderate or long, porrect labial palpi; a narrow forewing and often relatively simple forewing markings.
Most Olethreutini tend to be highly polyphagous leafrollers on various trees and shrubs, but exceptions exist here as well. Bactra are stem-borers on grasses (Poaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and rushes (Juncaceae), whereas some species of Olethreutes may be monophogous. Only a select few species of Olethreutini are considered serious pests (e.g., Lobesia botrana, Paralobesia viteana). We include these few pest species as well as several common or similar-looking non-pest species on this site.
The most recent comprehensive guide to the Nearctic Olethreutini is Heinrich (1926)Heinrich (1926):
Heinrich, C. 1926. Revision of the North American moths of the subfamilies Laspeyresiinae and Olethreutinae. Bulletin of the United States National Museum. 132: 1–216., but more recent regional (Miller 1987aMiller 1987a:
Miller, W. E. 1987a. Guide to the Olethreutine moths of midland North America (Tortricidae). USDA Forest Service Agriculture Handbook 660: 1–104., 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.) and genus-level (Heppner 1994Heppner 1994:
Heppner, J. B. 1994. Episimus moths of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Holarctic Lepidoptera. 1: 83–107., Razowski and Brown 2008Razowski and Brown 2008:
Razowski, J., Brown, J. W. 2008. New species, new combinations, and new synonymies in Neotropical Episimus Walsingham, 1892 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae). Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia. 51(B): 83–144., Royals et al. 2019Royals et al. 2019:
Royals, H. R., Landry, J.-F., Gilligan, T. M. 2019. Paralobesia (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), a systematic revision. Memoirs of the Lepidopterists' Society, No. 6. Washington, D.C. 149 pp.) treatments exist. There are major discrepancies between how North American and European workers treat certain genera of Olethreutini. See the Olethreutes spp. page for more information.
Included species:
Adventive species
Native species
Authors: KA Austin, TM Gilligan, ME Epstein
Content last updated May 2025
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