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Tortricidae : Tortricinae

Tortricodes alternella

TORTRICODES alternella ([Denis & Schiffermüller, [1775])
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Alternative Names: Winter Shade
Wingspan: 19-23mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - except Bulgaria,Croatia,Finland,Greece,Ukraine & Some Mediterranean Islands
UK Distribution: England,Wales-Common throughout : Local in Scotland & Ireland
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = > 300 10Km squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena (Tinea) alternella (Denis & Schiffermüller,[1775])
Type Species - Tortricodes
  • Tortrix hymena Hübner,[1819]
Type Locality -
  • Austria - near Vienna
Flight Period: South - January to April,sometimes in May
Habitat: Deciduous woodland : Scrub : Gardens
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The larva feeds under an turned leaf or leaves spun together with silk.The final instar larva is blackish brown with a whitish narrow dorsal line and subdorsal lines that are wider.There are white wart like marks which have a central black dot.Below the spiracular line is white whilst above is brownish black with spiracles highlighted in white.The prothoracic plate has a narrow white central line with an orange band either side.The head is black.
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is one of the earliest Tortricids to be on the wing in early spring making confusion with any other moth highly unlikely.
The male is highly variable in colours ranging from silvery grey to pale yellowish brown with markings in brown to blackish brown. The basal area ranges from yellowish brown to brown.The median area has cross lines which are both concave and convex opposed and are variably marked with a median area in brown to light brown.There is a brown wedge shaped mar at the costa adjacent to the apex.The female markings are less distinct in blackish brown. There is a grey form of this moth.

The moth can be found during the day resting on tree trunks and is attracted to light.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
  • Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.

Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - TORTRICODES:

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Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Tortricoidea
Tortricidae
Tortricinae
Cnephasiini
TORTRICODES Guenée, 1845
Tortricodes alternella (Denis & Schiffermüller'[1775])
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Tortrix hymena (Hübner, [1819])
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PHALAENA (Tinea) alternella (Denis & Schiffermüller,[1775])
= Tortricodes violella Razowski, 1956
= tortricella (Hübner, 1796)
= Tortricodes violella Razowski 1956
= Tortricodes hyemana Hübner 1818/19
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Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend,herausgegeben von einigen Lehrern am k. k. Theresianum. - pp. [1], 1-322, [1], Tab. 1a-1b. Wien : Title Page  :
p.135 - n.33
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Austria - near Vienna