Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902
Retinia houseri
This record describes Retinia houseri (species). Recorded family: Tortricidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The dark gray bar across the front of the head and the dark scales around the bases are absent in some specimens. The dark gray abdomen has dirty white scales along the sides. The braconid, Agathis pini is an important parasite of this species.
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
The holotype was collected in Washington County, in southeastern Ohio. , Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Adults are most common from May to July. (MPG)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: shortleaf pine ( 4 )
Life History
The larvae feed in the inner bark of current shoots, usually girdling them. Pitch blisters form over the entrance holes and average about 1/2" in diameter. Usually only 1 pitch blisters per shoot and it is situated away from the branch node. Pupation occurs beneath the blister. ( 4 ) Overwinters as larvae that has bored down to the pith. ( 4 ) One generation per year. ( 4 )
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Specific epithet in honor of Professor John Samuel Houser (1881-1947), late chief of the Entomology Department at the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Retinia houseri. 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 Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Maury J. Heiman; Additional contributions by Randy Hardy , Marci Hess , Fyn Kynd
Frequently Asked Questions About Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902
What is Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902?
Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902 (Retinia houseri) is a species in the family Tortricidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902?
Wingspan 14.5 mm.
How do you identify Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902?
The dark gray bar across the front of the head and the dark scales around the bases are absent in some specimens. The dark gray abdomen has dirty white scales along the sides.
Where is Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902 found?
Range: The holotype was collected in Washington County, in southeastern Ohio. , Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
What does Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902 eat?
The diet of the Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902 includes shortleaf pine ( 4 ).
When is Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902 active?
Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902: seasonal activity - Adults are most common from May to July. (MPG).
What is the life cycle of a Minute Pitch-blister Moth - Hodges#2902?
The larvae feed in the inner bark of current shoots, usually girdling them. Pitch blisters form over the entrance holes and average about 1/2" in diameter. Usually only 1 pitch blisters per shoot and it is situated away from the branch node. Pupation occurs beneath the blister. ( 4 ) Overwinters as larvae that has bored down to the pith. ( 4 ) One generation per year. ( 4 )