Adult Recognition
Adult FWL: 6.0-10.2 mm (male); 8.5-11.7 mm (female)
Forewing color is a variable combination of reddish brown, dark brown, and tan. The majority of individuals have two contrasting triangular to semi-rectangular pale-tan patches on the costa. Females are generally lighter in color than males. Males have a forewing costal fold.
The names associated with A. argyrospila are considered a species complex by some authors. This group includes A. eleagnanus, A. mortuana, A. myricana, and two subspecies (A. a. columbiana and A. a. vividana). According to Freeman (1958), genitalic characters for the group include: an aedeagus with hooked apex and two long cornuti in the male and a bulbous sterigma and antrum in the female.
Larval Morphology
Last instar larvae are 15-24 mm in length with a translucent green or gray abdomen. The head is reddish brown to dark brown and may be mottled in some individuals; head markings are too variable to be diagnostic. The prothoracic shield is amber with brown lateral shading. Prothoracic legs are brown or black while the other thoracic legs are pale and unmarked.
Late instar A. argyrospila larvae may be confused with larvae of Choristoneura rosaceana and other Archips species.
Biology
Archips argyrospila completes a single generation per year. Adults are present from mid-May through July.
Eggs are laid in masses on the twigs of the host and covered by the female with a substance that hardens to create a smooth, hard surface. Eggs are laid in June and July and do not hatch until the following year. First instar larvae hatch in late Februrary to mid-May and bore into buds. Later instars roll or tie leaves together or to fruit and partially emerge from the shelter to feed. Larvae may feed on leaves, flowers, buds, or fruits of the host. Pupation occurs within the larval shelter and adults eclose in 10-12 days. The adult flight period lasts approximately 3 weeks.
During the first half of the 20th century, outbreaks of A. argyrospila would completely defoliate large areas of vegetation. The species was brought under control with the introduction of pesticides in the mid-1950's.
Host plants
Archips argyrospila has been recorded from a long list of plants, many of which are not primary hosts. Under outbreak conditions the larvae feed on any plant near the primary host, and the following host list contains both primary and incidental hosts.
| Family | Genus/species | Common name |
| Aceraceae | Acer L. | maple |
| Aceraceae | Acer negundo L. | boxelder |
| Aceraceae | Acer rubrum L. | red maple |
| Aceraceae | Acer spicatum Lam. | mountain maple |
| Anacardiaceae | Rhus L. | sumac |
| Anacardiaceae | Toxicodendron pubescens Mill. | Atlantic poison oak |
| Betulaceae | Betula papyrifera Marshall | paper birch |
| Betulaceae | Carpinus L. | hornbeam |
| Caprifoliaceae | Viburnum L. | viburnum |
| Cornaceae | Cornus glabrata Benth. | brown dogwood |
| Cornaceae | Cornus L. | dogwood |
| Ericaceae | Arbutus L. | madrone |
| Ericaceae | Arctostaphylos Adans. | manzanita |
| Ericaceae | Ledum groenlandicum Oeder | bog Labrador tea |
| Ericaceae | Rhododendron L. | rhododendron |
| Ericaceae | Vaccinium L. | blueberry |
| Fabaceae | Amorpha fruticosa L. | desert false indigo |
| Fabaceae | Medicago sativa L. | alfalfa |
| Fabaceae | Melilotus Mill. | sweetclover |
| Fabaceae | Robinia pseudoacacia L. | black locust |
| Fabaceae | Vicia L. | vetch |
| Fagaceae | Quercus agrifolia Nee | California live oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus alba L. | white oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus coccinea Munchh. | scarlet oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus douglasii Hook. & Arn. | blue oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus dumosa Nutt. | coastal sage scrub oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus garryana Douglas ex Hook. | Oregon white oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus kelloggii Newb. | California black oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus lobata Nee | valley oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus rubra L. | red oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus wislizeni A. DC. | interior live oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus L. | oak |
| Grossulariaceae | Ribes nigrum L. | European black currant |
| Grossulariaceae | Ribes uva-crispa L. | European gooseberry |
| Grossulariaceae | Ribes L. | currant |
| Hippocastanaceae | Aesculus californica (Spach) Nutt. | California buckeye |
| Hippocastanaceae | Aesculus hippocastanum L. | horse chestnut |
| Hydrophyllaceae | Eriodictyon Benth. | yerba santa |
| Hydrophyllaceae | Eriodictyon californicum (Hook. & Arn.) Torr. | California yerba santa |
| Juglandaceae | Carya Nutt. | hickory |
| Juglandaceae | Juglans L. | walnut |
| Liliaceae | Allium cepa L. | garden onion |
| Myricaceae | Myrica L. | sweetgale |
| Myrtaceae | Comptonia peregrina (L.) J. M. Coult. | sweet fern |
| Oleaceae | Fraxinus L. | ash |
| Oleaceae | Fraxinus latifolia Benth. | Oregon ash |
| Pinaceae | Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. ex Hildebr. | white fir |
| Pinaceae | Pseudotsuga macrocarpa (Vasey) Mayr | bigcone Douglas-fir |
| Pinaceae | Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco | Douglas-fir |
| Platanaceae | Platanus L. | sycamore |
| Rhamnaceae | Ceanothus cuneatus (Hook.) Nutt. | buckbrush |
| Rhamnaceae | Ceanothus incanus Torr. & A. Gray | coast whitethorn |
| Rosaceae | Cercocarpus Kunth | mountain mahogany |
| Rosaceae | Cercocarpus montanus Raf. | alderleaf mountain mahogany |
| Rosaceae | Cercocarpus montanus Raf. var. glaber (S. Watson) F. L. Martin | birchleaf mountain mahogany |
| Rosaceae | Crataegus L. | hawthorn |
| Rosaceae | Malus domestica Borkh. | apple |
| Rosaceae | Malus pumila Mill. | paradise apple |
| Rosaceae | Malus Mill. | apple |
| Rosaceae | Prunus armeniaca L. | apricot |
| Rosaceae | Prunus avium (L.) L. | sweet cherry |
| Rosaceae | Prunus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) D. Dietr. | hollyleaf cherry |
| Rosaceae | Prunus pensylvanica L. f. | pin cherry |
| Rosaceae | Prunus virginiana L. | chokecherry |
| Rosaceae | Prunus L. | |
| Rosaceae | Pyrus communis L. | common pear |
| Rosaceae | Pyrus L. | pear |
| Rosaceae | Rosa californica Cham. & Schltdl. | California wildrose |
| Rosaceae | Rosa L. | rose |
| Rosaceae | Rubus deliciosus Torr. | delicious raspberry |
| Rosaceae | Rubus L. | blackberry |
| Rutaceae | Citrus L. | citrus |
| Rutaceae | Citrus X sinensis (L.) Osbeck (pro sp.) [maxima X reticulata] | sweet orange |
| Salicaceae | Populus balsamifera L. | balsam poplar |
| Salicaceae | Populus grandidentata Michx. | bigtooth aspen |
| Salicaceae | Populus tremuloides Michx. | quaking aspen |
| Salicaceae | Populus L. | cottonwood |
| Salicaceae | Salix lasiolepis Benth. | arroyo willow |
| Salicaceae | Salix sessilifolia Nutt. | northwest sandbar willow |
| Salicaceae | Salix L. | willow |
| Tiliaceae | Tilia americana L. | American basswood |
| Ulmaceae | Ulmus americana L. | American elm |
| Ulmaceae | Ulmus L. | elm |
| Vitaceae | Vitis L. | grape |
Distribution
Archips argyrospila is native to North America and is found throughout the continental United States and southern Canada.
References
Chapman, P. J. and S. E. Lienk. 1971. Tortricid fauna of apple in New York (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); including an account of apple's occurrence in the state, especially as a naturalized plant. Spec. Publ. Geneva, NY: New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. 122 pp.
Freeman, T. N. 1958. The Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). The Canadian Entomologist Supplement 7 (Vol. 90): 1-89.
Powell, J. A. 1964. Biological and taxonomic studies on tortricine moths, with reference to the species in California. University of California Publications in Entomology. Vol. 32. 317 pp.
Powell, J. A. and P. A. Opler. 2009. Moths of western North America. University of California Press, Berkeley. 369 pp.
Photo Credits
Figs. 7-10: University of California Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM Web Site)
Fig. 11: USDA Forest Service - Region 8 Archive, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
