Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and moths) ➔ Family Tortricidae (Leafroller moths)
Ptycholoma lecheana (Linnaeus, 1758)
Brindled Tortrix
Synonyms and other combinations:
Phalaena (Tortrix) lecheana Linnaeus, 1758 [original combination] |
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2013-06-13 13:33:15
det. Jörg Döring
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2018-05-12 18:10:41
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2018-05-13 09:59:59
parasitised caterpillar
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-05-20 15:37:06
det. Jürgen Quack
parasitised caterpillar
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-05-20 15:37:27
det. Jürgen Quack
parasitised caterpillar
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-05-20 15:33:30
det. Jürgen Quack
parasitoids
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-05-21 09:47:11
parasitised caterpillar
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-05-21 09:48:33
parasitised caterpillar
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-05-22 11:23:33
parasitoid cocoons
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-05-23 10:59:38
abandoned cocoons of parasitoids
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-06-07 14:48:33
parasitoid
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-06-05 16:41:15
parasitoid
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2019-06-07 14:43:05
Further vernacular names:
Leche's Twist MothClassification:
Ptycholoma lecheana belongs to the subfamily Tortricinae, tribe Archipini.Distribution:
Europe, Asia.Habitat:
Deciduous and mixed forests, orchards, parks and gardens.Description:
Wingspan 15 - 22 mm; forewings with predominantly yellow scales and silver-grey markings; hindwings dark brown.Length of pupa between 9 - 10 mm.
Biology:
Ptycholoma lecheana forms one generation per year. The moths fly (depending on location) in the period from the end of May to July. They are active from noon to sunset, at the beginning of the night and in the morning.The females begin with the oviposition 2 to 3 days after slipping. A female produces on average about 160 eggs. The eggs are laid in clutches of 5 - 80 along leaf veins. At 22°C the development of the eggs takes about 6 to 7 days.
The caterpillars of Ptycholoma lecheana usually hatch at the end of July. The polyphagous caterpillars skeletonize leaves and gnaw small holes into the fruits of their host plants. Host plants are especially apple and plum, as well as oak, birch, lime, ash, elm, maple, poplar, willow and other trees and shrubs. The caterpillars spend the winter in the 2nd and 3rd larval stages in dense white cocoons in protected places, such as bark crevices, under or in leaves spun on bark and under scales of dry buds. The wintered caterpillars appear in April or May, when the average daytime temperature exceeds 10°C. They feed on sprouting leaves, leaf and flower buds, flowers and ovaries. The caterpillars pupate at their feeding sites or in bark crevices. After a pupal period of about 10 - 12 days the moths of the new generation hatch.
Note:
The caterpillar shown here is the victim of the larvae of parasitoids, which belong to the hymenoptera. The parasitoids had more than doubled in length in only 18 hours and, roughly speaking, increased their volume tenfold! Already one day later the upper half of the caterpillar was eaten empty. The parasitoids could not be found. The next day, I've discovered four little cocoons. From these cocoons, 4 nimble wasps hatched on June 4.References, further reading, links:
- Aethes sanguinana
- Aethes sp.
- Aphelia sp.
- Clepsis coriacanus
- Dichrorampha sp.
- Gypsonoma sociana/dealbana
- Tortricidae sp.
- Arched Marble
- Aspen Roller
- Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix
- Birch Marble
- Bramble Shoot Moth
- Brassy Tortrix
- Brindled Tortrix
- Brown Oak Tortrix
- Brown-barred Tortrix
- Buckthorn Roller
- Coast Spurge Bell
- Cock's-head Bell
- Colt’s-foot Bell
- Common Birch Bell
- Common Marble
- Common Roller
- Common Tortrix
- Dark-barred Tortrix
- Green Oak Tortrix
- Hoary Bell
- Hook-marked Straw Moth
- Large Fruit-tree Tortrix
- Maple Button
- Marbled Orchard Tortrix
- May Shade
- Notch-wing Button
- Nut Bud Moth
- Orange-spot Piercer
- Red Piercer
- Red Roller
- Rose Tortrix
- Shoulder-spot Marble
- Small Birch Bell
- Spruce Seed Moth
- Summer Fruit Tortrix
- Triple-stripe Piercer
- Vagrant Piercer
- Variable Bell
- Variegated Golden Tortrix
- Vetch Piercer
- White-faced Tortrix
- White-shouldered Marble
- Winter Shade
- Woodland Marble
- Yellow Oak Button
- Yellow-spot Tortrix