Green Oak Tortrix
Tortrix viridana
This record describes Tortrix viridana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 18-23 mm. A very distinctive species as this is the only green ' Tortrix ' in the British Isles. Earias clorana is similar but rests with its wings higher a more 'tent like' posture. Well wooded areas, particularly deciduous woodland and other areas where Oak is present in numbers. Flying during May through to early July from dusk onwards, it can also be found resting in sunshine. Inhabiting Oak woodland, it can become a pest. Although Oak is the main food plant, other deciduous trees are also used, the larvae feeding in a rolled-up or folded leaf. These abundant larvae sometimes completely defoliate trees. It is common to very common in many parts of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Tortricidae
- Genus
- Tortrix
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Well wooded areas, particularly deciduous woodland and other areas where Oak is present in numbers.
Seasonal Activity
Flying during May through to early July from dusk onwards, it can also be found resting in sunshine.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Inhabiting Oak woodland, it can become a pest. Although Oak is the main food plant, other deciduous trees are also used, the larvae feeding in a rolled-up or folded leaf. These abundant larvae sometimes completely defoliate trees.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is common to very common in many parts of Britain. 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 Tortrix viridana. 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 Green Oak Tortrix (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Green Oak Tortrix
What is Green Oak Tortrix?
Green Oak Tortrix (Tortrix viridana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Green Oak Tortrix found?
Habitat: Well wooded areas, particularly deciduous woodland and other areas where Oak is present in numbers.
When is Green Oak Tortrix active?
Green Oak Tortrix: seasonal activity - Flying during May through to early July from dusk onwards, it can also be found resting in sunshine..
What is the life cycle of a Green Oak Tortrix?
Inhabiting Oak woodland, it can become a pest. Although Oak is the main food plant, other deciduous trees are also used, the larvae feeding in a rolled-up or folded leaf. These abundant larvae sometimes completely defoliate trees.