A new avocado pest in Central America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) with a key to Lepidoptera larvae threatening avocados in California
Author
Gilligan, Todd M.
Author
Brown, John W.
Author
Hoddle, Mark S.
text
Zootaxa
2011
3137
31
45
journal article
45739
10.5281/zenodo.204440
3adb68b0-b73e-48f4-a667-d9cbe60e627b
1175-5326
204440
Argyrotaenia franciscana
(Walsingham)
(
Tortricidae
:
Tortricinae
)
The orange tortrix,
Argyrotaenia franciscana
, is a polyphagous species that is an occasional pest of avocado in California. This species is found primarily in cooler coastal areas and river valleys, where adults may be present year round; only two generations are present in warmer inland areas (
Powell 1964
). Larvae feed in silken shelters on outer shoots and can cause economic damage by chewing holes in fruit and even causing fruit to drop by feeding on the stem (
Faber
et al.
2010
).