Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix
Pandemis heparana
This record describes Pandemis heparana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This species flies between June and August, later in the North. Sometimes called 'leaf-rollers', the larvae of many of this family live in 'spinnings' where a leaf is rolled around and attached together with silk. The larvae feed on various fruit and other deciduous trees. Quite common over much of England, Wales and parts of Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Tortricinae
- Tribe
- Archipini
- Genus
- Pandemis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Oak woodland, orchards and gardens.
Seasonal Activity
This species flies between June and August, later in the North.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Sometimes called 'leaf-rollers', the larvae of many of this family live in 'spinnings' where a leaf is rolled around and attached together with silk. The larvae feed on various fruit and other deciduous trees.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Quite common over much of England, Wales and parts of Scotland. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Pandemis heparana. 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 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (7)
Frequently Asked Questions About Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix
What is Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix?
Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix found?
Habitat: Oak woodland, orchards and gardens.
When is Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix active?
Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix: seasonal activity - This species flies between June and August, later in the North..
What is the life cycle of a Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix?
Sometimes called 'leaf-rollers', the larvae of many of this family live in 'spinnings' where a leaf is rolled around and attached together with silk. The larvae feed on various fruit and other deciduous trees.