Moths of North Carolina
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154 NC Records

Platynota idaeusalis (Walker, 1859) - Tufted Apple Budmoth


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: TortricinaeTribe: SparganothiniP3 Number: 620433.00 MONA Number: 3740.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIFTechnical Description, Immature Stages: MacKay (1962)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based primarily on that of Forbes (1923) and Powell and Brown (2012). The males and females differ in coloration and patterning, but the vertex and labial palps are usually ashy gray, sometimes rusty gray in the males. The female forewing is distinctive in having a narrow, often blackish, posteriorly oblique line of raised scales near the middle. The line divides the wing into a basal gray portion and a distal darker portion that often has a mixture of reddish-brown and grayish coarse mottling. Lines of raised striae are present on the distal half that are often blackish.

The males are occasionally two-toned like the females, but more commonly are more uniformly colored with varying mixtures of reddish-brown to dark gray patterning. In many specimens dark gray or blackish-brown coloration tends to prevail in the subcostal region, and reddish-brown coloration on the dorsal two-thirds of the distal half of the wing. The fringe of both sexes varies from dull gray to reddish-brown, and the hindwing varies from dull gray to dull brown with a slightly paler fringe. Both the males and females have elongated palps and a dark, round blotch near the distal end of the discal cell of the forewing.

Females are easily distinguished by their two-toned wing pattern and large size (forewing length usually >9.0 mm), but the males are easy to confuse with P. semiustana and P. exasperatana. All three species have a male costal fold of similar length (less than one-third the length of the forewing), and all have extremely similar male and female genitalia that are of little value in sorting out species. Platynota idaeusalis males usually can be distinguished by their larger size (forewing length usually >7.0 mm) and subtle differences in forewing pattern. The males lack the white or cream scaling on the dorsum of the labial palpus, head, and thorax typical of P. exasperatana, while P. semiustana males differ in having a dark palp and head, and a lighter band on the terminal fifth of the wing.
Wingspan: 12-25 mm, with the females larger (Forbes, 1923)
Forewing Length: 7.0–8.5 mm for males and 8.0–11.5 mm for females (Powell and Brown, 2012).
Adult Structural Features: Powell and Brown (2012) and Gilligan and Epstein (2014; TortAI) have illustrations and descriptions of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Platynota idaeusalis is broadly distributed across most of southern Canada as well as the eastern US and portions of the West. In Canada specimens have been observed in the Northwest Territories and British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In the US the range extends from Maine to southern Florida and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Washington and Montana. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: The adults have been observed during every month of the year, but mostly fly from March through October in most areas of the range. As of 2023, our records extend late March through late November. Most population in North Carolina and elsewhere appear to be bivoltine.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species is common in residential neighborhoods. Natural areas range from high elevation forests to barrier islands.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are widely polyphagous, feeding on trees, shrubs, and forbs (Powell and Brown 2012). In the eastern United States, it is considered a significant pest of apples.
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and pheromone traps.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Platynota idaeusalis - Tufted Apple Budmoth

149 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-01
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-24
Clay Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-09
Rockingham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-08-06
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-08-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-30
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Becky Watkins, Richard Teper, Stephen Dunn on 2022-07-23
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-20
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-19
Chowan Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson, Stephen Dunn on 2022-07-15
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-11
Alamance Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-11
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-03
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-26
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-28
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-05-26
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-05-26
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-25
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-05-17
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-05-17
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2022-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2022-05-15
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2022-05-04
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2022-05-04
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-05-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-05-03
Orange Co.
Comment: