Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFTortricidae Members: Archips Members: 11 NC Records

Archips argyrospila (Walker, 1863) - Fruit-tree Leafroller Moth

Archips argyrospilaArchips argyrospilaArchips argyrospila
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Tortricinae		Tribe:
Archipini		P3 Number:
51a0323		 MONA Number:
3648.00
Comments: Archips argyrospila is widely distributed across North America and may comprise a species complex. Individuals exhibit substantial variation in appearance at different spatial scales. Although a confusing array of pheromone and host types have been documented across the range (e.g., Goyer et al., 1995), the genitalia are essentially identical throughout the range (Kruse and Sperling, 2001). Two western groups were split off as separate species, but later synonomized by Powell (1964) after a careful morphological analysis. Kruse and Sperling (2001) conducted a molecular study and found a West Coast group that constitutes a separate clade from specimens in the remainder of the range. They elected to not recognized the West Coast form as a separate species because it is not consistently diagnosable by nonmolecular means.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Powell and Opler (2009)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Chapman and Lienk (1971)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Adults vary substantially in coloration and patterning across the range. The head, palps, and antenna are brown to rusty brown. The forewing is usually mottled to varying degrees with light brown, rusty-brown or orange. Many specimens -- particularly males -- have a dark brown to reddish brown, posteriorly oblique, median band that extends from the middle of the costa towards the subtornal area. A similar subapical costal mark is often evident that can vary from being a costal patch to a more extensive irregular band that extends to or nearly to the tornus. Two white, yellowish, or cream-colored squares are present on the costa near the middle, and on either side of the median band. The hindwing is gray with a paler fringe, and in some specimens may be white or partially white.
Forewing Length: 6.0-10.2 mm for males; 8.5-11.7 mm for females (Gilligan and Epstein, TortAI).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan and Epstein (TortAI) have images of the male and female genitalia. Also, see images below.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are significant pests on all types of orchard crops, although far less so than prior to the invention of modern insecticides, and are capable of local and regional defoliation of a wide variety of deciduous trees and shrubs. Bald Cypress is the only known conifer that is a primary host (Meeker and Goyer, 1994). Much of the life history information has been obtained from studies of apples and other fruit crops, and the following account is based on that of Spuler (1922) and Chapman and Lienk (1971). Local populations are univoltine and females that emerge and mate in the summer lay masses of 50-60 eggs primarily on small diameter branches, but also on tree trunks and larger limbs. Overwintering occurs in the egg stage and hatching occurs in the spring. When feeding on apples the hatchlings first consume the flower buds and opening flowers. After the second or third molt they switch to feeding on young leaves and developing fruits. The later instars feed mostly within leaves that are rolled, folded, tied and held together with silk, but may partially emerge from their shelters to feed. The leaves are often rolled around a developing fruit, which is then fed on (Chapman and Lienk, 1971). Pupation typically occurs within the bound leaves, and the adults emerge in about two weeks. The later instars are dull green with a black or brownish-black head capsule and a prothoracic shield that varies from amber with brown lateral shading, to dark brown or black.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Archips argyrospila is broadly distributed across the US except in arid regions. It is also found in much of southern Canada from British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In the US the range extends from Maine westward across the northernmost tier of states to Washington State, and southward to southern California, Colorado, southern Texas and southern Florida. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Archips argyrospilaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: The adults have been observed from March through November, with the peak flight in most areas of the range occurring from May to July. Populations in North Carolina and elsewhere are univoltine. As of 2023, our records are from early May through early June.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Due to its polyphagous habits, this species occur in a variety of habitats. Large populations are common in either maintained or abandoned fruit orchards where they can be significant pests. Other habitats in the eastern US include wetlands, bottomland and mesic deciduous forests, woodland borders, and residential neighborhoods. Specimens in North Carolina have been found in habitats ranging from maritime habitats on a barrier island to mesic forests in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae are highly polyphagous (Chapman and Lienk, 1971; Freeman, 1958; MacKay, 1962a; Prentice, 1966; Heppner, 2007; Baker, 1972; Wagner et al., 1995; Robinson et al., 2010). They feed on both commercial fruit crops such as apples, pears, cherries, and peaches as well as numerous species of native plants. In many cases, the documented hosts may reflect spillover to neighboring species following outbreaks on the primary hosts. Plant genera that are used as hosts include maple (Acer), buckeye (Aesculus), Allium, indigo-bush (Amorpha), birch (Betula), hornbeam (Carpinus), hickory (Carya), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus), redbud (Cercis), water-hemlock (Cicuta), Citrus, sweet-fern (Comptonia), dogwood (Cornus), hawthorn (Crataegus), quince (Cydonia), olive (Elaeagnus), ash (Fraxinus), walnut (Juglans), apple (Malus), Medicago, sweet-clover (Melilotus), Myrica, sycamore (Platanus), poplar (Populus), cherry (Prunus), pear (Pyrus), oak (Quercus), Rhododendron, sumac (Rhus), currant (Ribes), locust (Robinia), rose (Rosa), blackberry (Rubus), willow (Salix), Sassafras, meadowsweet (Spiraea), basswood (Tilia), cypress (Taxodium), Toxicodendron, elm (Ulmus), blueberry (Vaccinium), Viburnum, and grape (Vitis). Chapman and Lienk (1971) suggested that the original hosts in the Northeast were various species of oaks, hawthorns, and birches prior to the introduction of apples and other fruit crops to North America. We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and pheromone traps. The larvae can be found on apples and other hosts, but may require rearing to identify to species.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3-S4}
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Archips argyrospila - Fruit-tree Leafroller Moth

Photos: 8
Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-05-04
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2021-05-13
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2021-05-11
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-09
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Archips argyrospila
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-09
Madison Co.
Comment: