Moths of North Carolina
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325 NC Records

Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris, 1841) - Oblique-banded Leafroller Moth

Choristoneura rosaceanaChoristoneura rosaceana
view caption 		Choristoneura rosaceanaChoristoneura rosaceana
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Tortricinae		Tribe:
Archipini		P3 Number:
51a0300		 MONA Number:
3635.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The palps, head, antennae, thorax, and ground of the forewing are typically light wood brown to reddish brown. The ground of the forewing is reticulated with distinct, irregular, and nearly transverse, dark brown striae. A basal patch is not present, but there is a narrow antemedian line at about one fourth that extends from the costa to the inner margin. The forewings of males have a small costal fold located at the base of the antemedian line (Forbes, 1923). The most conspicuous mark is a broad, posteriorly oblique, dark reddish-brown band that extends from just before the mid-point on the costa to the sub-tornal area of the inner margin. The only other conspicuous mark is a semi-oval subapical patch on the costa. Both the median band and the postmedian patch are clean-cut. The hindwing is cream-colored in males, and yellowish to orange in females, with both somewhat shaded with gray. In most of our specimens, as well as those illustrated on other websites, a blackish patch is located on the posterior tip of the thorax.

This species is often confused with Choristoneura parallela. In C. rosaceana the costal and outer margins are slightly sinuous in the males and more so in the females, while in C. parallela the costal margin is straight in the males and only slightly undulating in the females (Jason Dombroskie; see Bugguide). In addition, a blackish patch is usually present on the posterior tip of the thorax of C. rosaceana, along with a costal fold where the antemedian line meets the costa. Neither of these are present on C. parallela.
Wingspan: 20-28 mm (Forbes, 1923)
Forewing Length: 7.5-11 mm for males; 11.5-14 mm for females (Gilligan and Epstein, 2014).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan and Epstein (2014) has images of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Powell (1964), Chapman and Lienk (1971), Baker (1972) and Marquis et al. (2019) have details of the life cycle, which are mostly based on studies in commercial fruit operations. The females lay masses of from 50-900 eggs and typically place them on the upper surfaces of the older leaves of the host plants. Hatching occurs around 10-12 days later, and the hatchlings often use silk threads to disperse to other parts of the host plant or to balloon to new hosts. The early instar larvae skeletonize the lower leaf surface beneath protective webbing, while the later instars either chew holes on the leaf, web developing leaves together, or form a leaf fold with parts of the dorsal surface sometimes cut out. Besides feeding on leaves, larvae may also damage the flowers and developing fruits (Gillespie, 1981; Weires and Riedl 1991). Pupation typically occurs in the last larval shelter, and the adults emerge in 10-12 days. Local populations can have one to three broods annually depending on the length of the growing season and the host plant. The third instar larva of the last brood overwinters in a silken hibernaculum that is built either between folded leaves or under bud scales or loose bark. The following spring, the larvae feed first on the surface of unfolding leaves, then bind two or more leaves together with silk and feed from within the shelter. Pupation and adult emergence typically occurs in April through June. The mature larvae are dull green with a black head capsule and thoracic shield.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: This species can be found in most of the forested areas of the US and throughout much of southern Canada from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. In the eastern US, specimens have been found from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and North Dakota. This species also occurs in the central Rockies and other mountain ranges in Arizona and Utah, as well as in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Choristoneura rosaceana is common throughout North Carolina excepts for the higher elevations in the Blue Ridge.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Choristoneura rosaceana
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature 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 documented nearly year-round in the southern portion of the range and mostly from April through October in the central and northern portions of the range. Local populations in North Carolina appear to have two or three generations per year. As of 2022, we have records from mid-April through early November.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations can be found in a variety of habitats such has mesic hardwood and conifer-hardwood forests, wetlands, woodland borders, old fields, and commercial fruit orchards.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae are highly polyphagous and have been found feeding at least 80 species of deciduous trees, conifers, shrubs, annual crops, and weeds (Schaffner, 1959; Prentice 1965, Chapman and Lienk 1971, Gillespie, 1981; Godfrey et al., 1987; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al. 2010; Gilligan and Epstein, 2014; Marquis et al. 2019). Members of the Rosaceae (Amelanchier, Crataegus, Fragaria, Malus, Physocarpus, Prunus, Rubus, Rosa) and oaks (including several Quercus spp.) appear to be important host taxa, but many others are used. These include the following genera: Abies, Acer, Aesculus, Alnus, Ambrosia, Amorpha, Apium, Arctium, Aster, Betula, Carya, Ceanothus, Celtis, Cercis, Cirsium, Comandra, Cornus, Corylus, Dianthus, Fagus, Fraxinus, Geranium, Helianthus, Hypericum, Ilex, Lonicera, Lotus, Ostrya, Phaseolus, Pinus, Pistacea, Populus, Rhododendron, Rubus, Salix, Solidago, Spirea, Syringa, Tamala, Tilia, Trifolium, Typha, Ulmus, Vaccinium, Verbena, and Viburnum. Gilligan and Epstein (2014) provide a comprehensive list of species that are used. In North Carolina, larvae have been reared from Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), American Hazelnut (Corylus americana), White Ash (Fraxinus americana), Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), and Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found on apples, oaks, and other host species.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is widespread and common in North Carolina and shows no evidence of recent population declines.

 Photo Gallery for Choristoneura rosaceana - Oblique-banded Leafroller Moth

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

Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-10-06
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-10-04
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-09-23
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-22
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-09-08
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-06
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-03
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-31
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-27
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-26
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-08-17
Johnston Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-05
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-04
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-07-03
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: A reared adult from Black Walnut (see companion photo of the leaf roll from 2024-06-18).
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-07-03
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-30
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-29
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-26
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-18
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: Roll of the terminal leaflet of Juglans nigra; adult was reared on 7/3/24 after being kept indoors in a plastic bag (see companion photo of the adult).