Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548
Acleris variana
This record describes Acleris variana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Identification notes
Polymorphic ( 4 ) : Genitalia:
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Tortricini
- Genus
- Acleris
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Coniferous forests. ( 3 )
Geographic Range
Eastern Canada and the northeastern United States west to Alberta. ( 3 )
Diet and Behavior
Diet: See list of pine, spruce, hemlock, fir, larch, poplar and red ceder hosts at TortAI. ( 3 )
Life History
See Fernald's account (in Packard, 1886) in Print References below. Overwinter as eggs. ( 5 ) Young larvae burrow into the expanding buds, webbing together the needles as they grow. Pupation occurs within webbed masses of partially eaten and damaged needles. ( 5 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet from Latin varius meaning "diverse, different, various," as its author states, "the moths are subject to great variation."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acleris variana. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jason J. Dombroskie; Additional contributions by cotinis , Beatriz Moisset , Tony-2 , JohnMaxwell22 , Randy Hardy , Marci Hess
Frequently Asked Questions About Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548
How big is Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548?
Forewing length 7.5-9.5 mm. ( 3 ) Larva to 11-15 mm. ( 3 )
How do you identify Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548?
Polymorphic ( 4 ) : Genitalia:
Where is Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Coniferous forests. ( 3 ) |
| Range | Eastern Canada and the northeastern United States west to Alberta. ( 3 ) |
What does Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548 eat?
The diet of the Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548 includes See list of pine, spruce, hemlock, fir, larch, poplar and red ceder hosts at TortAI. ( 3 ).
What is the life cycle of a Eastern Black-headed Budworm - Hodges#3548?
See Fernald's account (in Packard, 1886) in Print References below. Overwinter as eggs. ( 5 ) Young larvae burrow into the expanding buds, webbing together the needles as they grow. Pupation occurs within webbed masses of partially eaten and damaged needles. ( 5 )