Author: (Haworth, 1811)
Red barred tortrix
Species Overview:
Adult: 13-18 mm wingspan; forewing ground colour ochreous brown (most apparent as a characteristic semi-elliptical patch on the dorsum) with dark purplish brown and black (males) or brown (females) markings; hindwings brown. Veins R4 and R5 in forewing stalked.
Egg: pale yellow, flat and almost circular; laid in a scale-like batch.
Larva: 12-18 mm long; body slender, pale yellowish green to brownish green or greyish green, darker above, with light green pinacula; head greenish yellow or yellowish brown, marked with blackish brown; prothoracic plate yellowish green, light brown or dark brown; anal comb greenish or brownish, with four teeth; thoracic legs green, tipped with blackish brown; spiracles small, the last twice the diameter of others [Batodes angustiorana larva ].
Pupa: 8 mm long; light brown; cremaster elongate, with eight tightly hooked setae.
Taxonomic Description:
Male:
Batodes angustiorana male 1
Batodes angustiorana male 2
Batodes angustiorana male 3
Batodes angustiorana male 4
External characters: Antenna strongly dentate-ciliate. Forewing with broad costal fold from base to one-third; ground colour brown with ochreous admixture, most apparent as a characteristic semi-elliptical patch on the dorsum; basal fasciae indistinct, subbasal fascia forming a rectangular, outward-oblique, dark ferruginous-brown patch on dorsum from near base to middle; costal fold and basal area anterior to subbasal fascia dark greyish brown; median fascia inconspicuous, pale ferruginous-brown, thinly edged with ochreous ground colour, narrow towards costa and concealed by costal fold; subapical spot ill-defined, ferruginous-brown coarsely irrorate with black; post-median area with variable plumbeous suffusion. Hindwing dark chocolate-brown (Bradley et al., 1973).
male genitalia B. angustiorana
Genitalia: Uncus broad; gnathos simple; transtilla broad, folded medially; brachiola-like shallow pocket in outer portion of valva externally; costa of valva well developed; three short cornuti in vesica; aedeagus with coecum penis well developed.
Female:
Batodes angustiorana female 1
Batodes angustiorana female 2
Batodes angustiorana female 3
External characters: Larger than male; antenna simple. Forewing without costal fold; ground colour pale tawny, mixed with whitish ochreous distally, and forming a distinctive patch near middle of costa; markings pale ferruginous-brown or fuscous; subbasal fascia more distinct than in male; median fascia extending to costa. Hindwing colouration paler than in male (Bradley et al., 1973).
female gen. B. angustiorana
Genitalia: Sterigma with well developed antevaginal portion and cup-shaped part; antrum short, with internal sclerite; ductus seminalis subterminal, situated dorsally; signum dagger-shaped with well developed basal lobes.
Variation:
Minor variation occurs in the intensity of the colouration and markings.
Taxonomic notes:
The species has also often been referred to as Ditula angustiorana. However, according to Razowski, 1987a, Ditula must be regarded as a synonym of Eudemis (Olethreutinae), and synonymization of Batodes with Ditula was therefore incorrect.
Biology:
Adults occur in June and July, the males often flying in sunshine. Eggs are laid on the leaves in moderately large batches. The newly emerged larvae feed on the foliage and after the second moult they will also attack the fruits. In autumn, whilst still small, they spin silken hibernacula on buds or spurs, overwintering until early spring. They then attack buds, young leaves and, later, blossom trusses and fruitlets, often sheltering in spun leaves. The larvae are very active if disturbed. Pupation occurs in May or June in a cocoon spun in a folded leaf, in webbed foliage or amongst dead leaves on the ground (Alford, 1995).
Host plants:
The larvae are polyphagous, attacking trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants including apple (Malus), pear (Pyrus), raspberry (Rubus) apricot, plum, cherry (Prunus) and grape-vine (Vitis), as well as Begonia, Buxus, Crataegus, Fagus, Fuchsia, Geranium, Hedera, Hippophae, Ilex, Juniperus, Larix, Laurus, Lonicera, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus, Rhododendron, Smilax, Taxus and Viscum.
Damage:
B. angustiorana damage on Taxus
damage on Taxus 2
The larvae are rarely sufficiently numerous to cause economic injury to leaves, flowers or developing fruitlets, and grazing of mature fruits, such as apples and pears, is superficial.
Distribution:
Western part of the Palaearctic Region (including North Africa), except for Asia Minor; introduced to North America (coastal regions).
Pheromone:
Pheromone unknown.
Parasitoids:
Oedemopsis scabricula (Grav.) (Ichneumonidae) (record from Canada).