Moths of North Carolina

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Clepsis peritana (Clemens, 1860) - Garden Tortrix

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Tortricinae

Tribe:
Archipini

P3 Number:
51a0364

MONA Number:
3688.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Ptycholoma peritana); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Freeman (1958)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: MacKay (1962)

Adult Markings: The following is mostly based on the description by Forbes (1923) and Freeman (1958). The head, palps, and thorax are tan to light brown. The forewing ground color is concolorous with the head and thorax and has a series of fine, brown, transverse striations. The ground is overlain with two or three brown to dark-brown marks. These include a well-defined, posteriorly oblique, median fascia that extends from the costa to the inner margin, and a dark-brown pre-apical costal spot. Both are usually margined with a thin whitish line along the anterior edge, and often as well on the posterior side. The costal spot often extends inward as a narrowing band to the tornus. Most North Carolina specimens also have a small, sub-dorsal, crescent-shaped mark near the base of the wing. Males and females have similar markings but the median fascia and costal spot are usually less distinct in the females. The fringe is light brown to dull white, and the hindwing is light smoky brown or grayish brown with a slightly paler fringe.

Clepsis peritana is similar to C. virescana, but the males of the latter have a costal fold and the dark marks are not margined with a whitish line. The median band of Clepsis peritana is intact while that of C. virescana is usually interrupted or faintly expressed in the middle.

Wingspan: 10-15 mm (Freeman, 1958)

Forewing Length: 4.5-7.5 mm (Gilligan and Epstein, 2014; TortID)

Adult Structural Features: The males lack a costal fold (Forbes, 1923). Freeman (1958) and Gilligan and Epstein (2014; TortID) have illustrations and descriptions of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The larvae often feed on dead or decaying leaves (Atkins, 1958; Powell and Opler, 2008), but will also use living plants -- particularly when populations increase seasonally. They can become a significant pest on commercial crops such as strawberries, citrus, and lima beans. Gilligan and Epstein (2014) noted that when feeding on strawberries the larvae may damage fruits that are in contact with the ground by webbing leaves to the fruit and chewing holes in the berries. In citrus groves, larvae feed on decaying leaves until population levels are high, at which point they may switch to feeding on fruit.

Bennett (1961) studied this species in Tennessee where it fed on commercial strawberries. Females in the lab laid from 13-66 eggs (mean = 33), and the time to hatching for the summer broods averaged 6 days. The larvae commonly folded a single leaf into a shelter by spinning a silk web that covered the larva and pulled the leaf together. They also created shelters by binding two leaves together. The leaves in close proximity to the shelter were fed upon and pulled together in a mat of webbing. The leaves often fell to the ground where the larvae fed on dead and dried leaves. The mature larvae were greenish-bronze with a brown head, prothoracic shield and anal shield. The larval period for the summer broods averaged 23 days, with the pupal stage lasting an average of 9.5 days. The entire period from egg to adult averaged 38 days. Populations in Tennessee had three broods per year, with larvae from the last brood overwintering and pupating in the spring.

Gilliatt (1928) described the larval life history when feeding on apple trees in Nova Scotia. In this region, the larvae overwinter in the larval stage in fallen leaves on the ground. Following the spring warm-up they ascend the trees and eat the first green buds that they encounter. After feeding for several weeks they descend and pupate in loose bark or in rolled leaves on the ground. The adults emerge in about two weeks and lay small masses of eggs on the upper surface of the leaves. The hatchlings disperse and feed on the leaves and sometimes the developing fruits that are bound within leaves. Others likely drop to the ground and feed on dead leaves. Last instar larvae are approximately 13-14 mm in length with a light green abdomen, but body color can vary depending on the host plant. The head and prothoracic shield are yellowish brown. An anal comb is present (Bennett, 1961; Gilligan and Epstein, 2014; TortID), and its morphology can be used to identify larvae.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Clepsis peritana is broadly distributed across much of the United States and southern Canada. Populations occur as far north as Alaska and in southern Canada from British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It occurs throughout much of the US from Maine to southern Florida and westward to California, Oregon, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, and North Dakota. 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: Local populations are multivoltine, with from 2-4 generations in the northern part of the range and as many as 6-7 in Florida and other southern locations. The adults have been found in every month of the year in the southern portion of the range, and mostly from May through September in northern areas. As of 2023, our records are from early February through mid-December, with a more compressed flight season in the Blue Ridge.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Our records come from a wide range of habitats that range from mesic to xeric. Examples include barrier islands, coastal pine and bottomland forests, old fields, semi-wooded residential areas, and northern hardwood forests in the mountains.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae appear to mostly feed on dead and decaying leaves, but secondarily feed on the leaves, flowers, and fruits of living plants. Commercial crops such as strawberries, citrus, and beans are often eaten, and native plants are occasionally consumed (Atkins, 1958; Freeman, 1958; Powell, 1964; Brown et al., 2008; Gilligan and Epstein, 2014; TortID). The reported host include daisies (Chrysanthemum), Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus), cultivated apples (Malus domestica), Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus), Stinking Willie (Senecio jacobaea), hedgenettles (Stachys), strawberries (Fragaria), citrus fruits (Citrus), California Figwort (Scrophularia californica) and Turkey Berry (Solanum torvum). Many other species are undoubtedly used. - View

Observation Methods: The larvae are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Fields

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 appears to be secure.

Photo Gallery for Clepsis peritana - Garden Tortrix

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

	Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-09-02 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-09-01 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Larry Chen and Sarah Toner on 2025-08-23 Bertie Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-22 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-08-22 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin. on 2025-08-17 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-15 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish, Randy Emmitt on 2025-08-12 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-12 Ashe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-08-06 Forsyth Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-06 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Larry Chen, Sarah Toner on 2025-07-31 Dare Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-07-24 Forsyth Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Sarah Toner on 2025-07-22 Tyrrell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-21 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-19 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-14 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-08 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-07-04 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-07-03 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-06-30 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, David Bradley, Becky Watkins, David Cheng, Michelle Lotker, Tracy Feldman, et al. on 2025-06-28 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Melody McMichael on 2025-06-26 Forsyth Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-06-21 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Allison Garton on 2025-06-19 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-06-18 Alamance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-07 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-03 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-30 Brunswick Co. Comment: