Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550
Acleris youngana
This record describes Acleris youngana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
female genitalia Full grown larva are creamy white and about 10mm long. Female moths are reluctant to fly so populations build up on cone-bearing trees.
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
Geographic Range
Northeastern United States and southeastern Canada to Kentucky and South Carolina. Covell et al. (2000) first Kentucky record.
Seasonal Activity
Two flights likely of April to June and October to November.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: White, black, red, Colorado, Sitka, and Engelmann spruces. White spruce cones are particularly susceptible.
Life History
Overwinter as a full grown larva within a cone. Most larvae pupate in the spring but some remain in diapause for 1-2 or more years.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of collector Charles H. Young of Ottawa. Young supplied many "exquisitely mounted specimens " to Kearfott, August Busck and J.H. McDunnough and has several lepidoptera named for him, including Acleris youngana (McDunnough), Crambus youngellus Kearfott, Sympistis youngi (McDunnough) and Thaumatographa youngiella (Busck).
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acleris youngana. 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 Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Marci Hess , Fyn Kynd , JoAnneRusso
Frequently Asked Questions About Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550
What is Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550?
Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550 (Acleris youngana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550?
female genitalia Full grown larva are creamy white and about 10mm long.
Where is Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550 found?
Range: Northeastern United States and southeastern Canada to Kentucky and South Carolina. Covell et al. (2000) first Kentucky record.
What does Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550 eat?
The diet of the Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550 includes White, black, red, Colorado, Sitka, and Engelmann spruces. White spruce cones are particularly susceptible..
When is Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550 active?
Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550: seasonal activity - Two flights likely of April to June and October to November..
What is the life cycle of a Acleris youngana - Hodges#3550?
Overwinter as a full grown larva within a cone. Most larvae pupate in the spring but some remain in diapause for 1-2 or more years.