Red-barred Tortrix
Ditula angustiorana
This record describes Ditula angustiorana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 12-18 mm. With an average wingspan of around 15 mm, this is quite a small species, though the females are usually slightly larger and differ slightly in markings and colour. Adults are on the wing in June and July. The males sometimes fly in sunshine but both sexes fly at night and will come to light. The larva is polyphagous on many plants, including Yew and Rhododendron - species that otherwise have few predators. It sometimes does superficial damage to ripening fruits in orchards. It is to be found throughout much of Britain, though less commonly further north. 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
- Ditula
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Woodland, parks and gardens.
Seasonal Activity
Adults are on the wing in June and July. The males sometimes fly in sunshine but both sexes fly at night and will come to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva is polyphagous on many plants, including Yew and Rhododendron - species that otherwise have few predators. It sometimes does superficial damage to ripening fruits in orchards.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is to be found throughout much of Britain, though less commonly further north. 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 Ditula angustiorana. 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 Red-barred Tortrix (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Red-barred Tortrix
What is Red-barred Tortrix?
Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Red-barred Tortrix found?
Habitat: Woodland, parks and gardens.
When is Red-barred Tortrix active?
Red-barred Tortrix: seasonal activity - Adults are on the wing in June and July. The males sometimes fly in sunshine but both sexes fly at night and will come to light..
What is the life cycle of a Red-barred Tortrix?
The larva is polyphagous on many plants, including Yew and Rhododendron - species that otherwise have few predators. It sometimes does superficial damage to ripening fruits in orchards.