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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Tortricidae
51a1326.1 – 3426   Aspila molesta (Busck, 1916)
             Oriental Fruit Moth

© John Lee
Distribution: Introduced from Asia.
Description/
Field Marks:
Median stria meets inner margin at angle, fades as it approaches an often conspicuous whitish stigma; flecks of whitish scales concentrated along striae and especially close to inner margin - Aaron Hunt (pers. comm., 5/7/2020).
Males lack the obvious patch of dark sex scales on the hindwing.
Genitalia: See TortAI species page at idtools.org
Similar Species:
  • 3427 G. libertina: Males lack a patch of dark sex scales on the hindwing - TortAI.
  • 3428 G. packardi: Median stria narrows from inner margin to middle of wing, meet inner margin roughly perpendicularly; stigma generally inconspicuous to absent; silvery to blue lustre throughout - Aaron Hunt (pers. comm., 5/7/2020).
  • Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy: Laspeyresia molesta Busck, 1916
Taxonomic Notes: Aspila molesta (Busck, 1916), n. comb. in Hu et al. (2023: Appendix S4) with Aspila, a former subgenus of Grapholita, raised to genus (new since Pohl & Nanz (eds.) (2023)).
References
  • Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Some specimens shown may not be sequenced. DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness not proof of identification.
  • Gilligan, T. M. & M. E. Epstein, 2014. Tortricids of Agricultural Importance to the United States (TortAI). Identification Technology Program (ITP), USDA/APHIS/PPQ/CPHST, Fort Collins, CO, species page at idtools.org.
  • Gilligan, Wright & Gibson, 2008. Olethreutine Moths of the Midwestern United States: p. 176.286. (out of print)
  • Hu, G-L, J. Brown, M. Heikkilä, L. Aarvik, M. Mutanen, 2023. Molecular phylogeny, divergence time, biogeography and trends in host plant usage in the agriculturally important tortricid tribe Grapholitini (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae). Cladistics, 39(5): 359-381; Appendix S4.
  • Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 17.1m; p. 141. Book Review and ordering
  • Species Page at BugGuide.Net
  • Species Page at Mass Moths
Aspila molesta
© E. Fiesler
Aspila molesta
© Bob Patterson
Aspila molesta
© Mark Dreiling - DNA
Aspila molesta
© E. LaGasa & WSDA
Aspila molesta
CalPhotos – © Jerry Powell

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