Adult Recognition
FWL: 7.5-11 mm (male); 11.5-14 mm (female)
Forewing pattern is variable, but the majority of individuals have three fasciae that are variably expressed from costa to dorsum. The costal margin is sinuate, giving resting individuals a classic "bell-shaped" appearance. The distal half of the hindwing is white in males and yellowish in females. Males have a forewing costal fold.
Adults are similar to other species of Choristoneura, especially C. fractivittana and C. parallela, although these species are not nearly as common and males do not have a forewing costal fold. Many species of Pandemis have a similar wing pattern but male Pandemis do not have a forewing costal fold.
Larval Morphology
Last instar larvae are green to yellowish green and 25-30 mm long. The head is black to light brown. The prothoracic shield varies from completely shaded (black or brown), to partially shaded, to having no shading (body color). The thoracic legs are dark brown to black.
Choristoneura rosaceana larvae are variable and can appear similar to larvae of many other tortricid species. This is one of the most common tortricid larvae encountered in North America.
Biology
Choristoneura rosaceana completes two annual generations over the majority of its range; however, only one generation is completed in northern areas and at higher elevations. Adults are present in late June though July and again in late August through September.
Eggs are laid in flat masses on the upper side of leaves. Egg masses may contain 200-900 individual eggs and are covered by the female with a waxy substance. First instar larvae hatch in 5-12 days and crawl to a protected location on the underside of leaves, in the buds, or under the calyx of a fruit. Young larvae may also disperse to other hosts by ballooning in the wind on a silk thread. Later instar larvae construct tubular shelters by webbing leaves. Larvae typically complete six instars, and second or third instars may overwinter in the fall and complete development in late May to mid-June. Pupation occurs in the final feeding shelter and lasts approximately 10-12 days.
Host plants
Larvae of Choristoneura rosaceana are highly polyphagous and feed on the leaves or fruits of a wide variety of plants. Preferred hosts appear to be woody plants and members of the family Rosaceae. The following is a partial host list.
Although this species is not currently considered a serious economic threat in North America, there have been populations of C. rosaceana reported as being resistant to insecticides.
| Family | Genus/species | Common name |
| Aceraceae | Acer negundo L. | boxelder |
| Aceraceae | Acer rubrum L. | red maple |
| Aceraceae | Acer saccharinum L. | silver maple |
| Aceraceae | Acer L. | maple |
| Anacardiaceae | Pistacia L. | pistache |
| Anacardiaceae | Rhus coriaria L. | Sicilian sumac |
| Asteraceae | Ambrosia L. | ragweed |
| Asteraceae | Aster L. | aster |
| Asteraceae | Helianthus annuus L. | common sunflower |
| Asteraceae | Solidago L. | goldenrod |
| Betulaceae | Alnus incana (L.) Moench | gray alder |
| Betulaceae | Betula alleghaniensis Britton | yellow birch |
| Betulaceae | Betula papyrifera Marshall | paper birch |
| Betulaceae | Betula populifolia Marsh. | gray birch |
| Betulaceae | Betula L. | birch |
| Betulaceae | Corylus avellana L. | common filbert |
| Betulaceae | Corylus L. | hazelnut |
| Betulaceae | Ostrya virginiana (Mill.) K. Koch | hophornbeam |
| Calycanthaceae | Calycanthus occidentalis Hook. & Arn. | western sweetshrub |
| Caprifoliaceae | Lonicera periclymenum L. | European honeysuckle |
| Caprifoliaceae | Lonicera L. | honeysuckle |
| Caprifoliaceae | Symphoricarpos oreophilus A. Gray var. utahensis (Rydb.) A. Nelson | Utah snowberry |
| Caprifoliaceae | Viburnum lentago L. | nannyberry |
| Caprifoliaceae | Viburnum L. | viburnum |
| Caryophyllaceae | Dianthus caryophyllus L. | carnation |
| Clusiaceae | Hypericum L. | St. Johnswort |
| Cornaceae | Cornus florida L. | flowering dogwood |
| Cornaceae | Cornus racemosa Lam. | gray dogwood |
| Cornaceae | Cornus L. | dogwood |
| Ericaceae | Rhododendron L. | rhododendron |
| Ericaceae | Vaccinium corymbosum L. | highbush blueberry |
| Ericaceae | Vaccinium L. | blueberry |
| Fabaceae | Amorpha fruticosa L. | desert false indigo |
| Fabaceae | Cercis canadensis L. | eastern redbud |
| Fabaceae | Phaseolus vulgaris L. | kidney bean |
| Fabaceae | Trifolium pratense L. | red clover |
| Fagaceae | Quercus agrifolia Nee | California live oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus alba L. | white oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus macrocarpa Michx. | bur oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus rubra L. | red oak |
| Fagaceae | Quercus L. | oak |
| Geraniaceae | Geranium L. | geranium |
| Hippocastanaceae | Aesculus californica (Spach) Nutt. | California buckeye |
| Oleaceae | Fraxinus L. | ash |
| Oleaceae | Syringa vulgaris L | common lilac |
| Oleaceae | Syringa L. | lilac |
| Pinaceae | Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. | balsam fir |
| Pinaceae | Picea glauca (Moench) Voss | white spruce |
| Pinaceae | Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco | Douglas-fir |
| Pinaceae | Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg. | western hemlock |
| Rhamnaceae | Ceanothus integerrimus Hook. & Arn. | deerbrush |
| Rhamnaceae | Rhamnus L. | buckthorn |
| Rosaceae | Amelanchier stolonifera Wiegand | running serviceberry |
| Rosaceae | Crataegus L. | hawthorn |
| Rosaceae | Malus domestica Borkh. | apple |
| Rosaceae | Malus pumila Mill. | paradise apple |
| Rosaceae | Malus Mill. | apple |
| 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 persica (L.) Batsch | peach |
| Rosaceae | Prunus virginiana L. | chokecherry |
| Rosaceae | Prunus L. | |
| Rosaceae | Pyrus communis L. | common pear |
| Rosaceae | Pyrus L. | pear |
| Rosaceae | Rosa L. | rose |
| Rosaceae | Rubus flagellaris Willd. | northern dewberry |
| Rosaceae | Rubus idaeus L. | American red raspberry |
| Rosaceae | Rubus L. | blackberry |
| Rosaceae | Spiraea L. | meadowsweet |
| Salicaceae | Populus balsamifera L. | balsam poplar |
| Salicaceae | Populus L. | cottonwood |
| Salicaceae | Populus tremuloides Michx. | quaking aspen |
| Salicaceae | Salix lasiolepis Benth. | arroyo willow |
| Salicaceae | Salix L. | willow |
| Santalaceae | Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt. | bastard toadflax |
| Tiliaceae | Tilia americana L. | American basswood |
| Tiliaceae | Tilia L. | basswood |
| Typhaceae | Typha latifolia L. | broadleaf cattail |
| Ulmaceae | Celtis occidentalis L. | common hackberry |
| Ulmaceae | Ulmus americana L. | American elm |
| Ulmaceae | Ulmus L. | elm |
| Verbenaceae | Verbena L. | vervain |
Distribution
Choristoneura rosaceana is widely distributed throughout the continental United States and southern Canada.
References
Carriere, Y., J. P. Deland and D. A. Roff. 1996. Obliquebanded leafroller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) resistance to insecticides: among-orchard variation and cross-resistance. Journal of Economic Entomology. 89: 577-582.
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.
Chapman, P. J., S. E. Lienk and R. W. Dean. 1968. Bionomics of Choristoneura rosaceana. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 61: 285-290.
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.
