Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889
Retinia comstockiana
This record describes Retinia comstockiana (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Tortricoidea
- Family
- Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Olethreutinae
- Tribe
- Eucosmini
- Genus
- Retinia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Records from Eastern United States, South Carolina and Tennessee north to Maine. Type locality: Ithaca, NY.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval hosts are pitch pine ( Pinus rigida ), loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ).
Life History
Eggs are deposited on twigs. The larvae bore into and downward for 3-4" and pitch masses form over the entry holes. Pupations occurs under these masses. ( 3 ) Overwinter as larvae under pitch masses. ( 3 ) One generation per year. ( 3 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet in honor of Professor J. Henry Comstock , "who found the larvae boring in the stems of Pinus rigida at Ithaca."
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Retinia comstockiana. 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 Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Chuck Entz , Randy Hardy , Marci Hess , Steve Morris
Frequently Asked Questions About Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889
How big is Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889?
Wingspan 14-20 mm.
Where is Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889 found?
Range: Records from Eastern United States, South Carolina and Tennessee north to Maine. Type locality: Ithaca, NY.
What does Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889 eat?
The diet of the Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889 includes Larval hosts are pitch pine ( Pinus rigida ), loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris )..
What is the life cycle of a Pitch Twig Moth - Hodges#2889?
Eggs are deposited on twigs. The larvae bore into and downward for 3-4" and pitch masses form over the entry holes. Pupations occurs under these masses. ( 3 ) Overwinter as larvae under pitch masses. ( 3 ) One generation per year. ( 3 )