Choreutis diana
Encyclopedia
Diana's Choreutis Moth (Choreutis diana) is a moth
of the Choreutidae
family. It is found in northern North America
and most of Europe
.
The wingspan
is 14-18 mm. It is a variable species. The forewings are mottled, often with some green or bluish-green visible. The antemedial line is black, strongly jagged and broadest at costa and is followed by pale greenish to white. The median area is pale to dark olive to olive brown. The postmedial line is black and often only visible as two sharp black teeth on the lower half. The postmedial area is mottled cream with brown to olive. The subterminal line is black and sometimes very distinct. The terminal line is usually reddish brown with a thin dark brown outer border. The fringe is pale greyish with dark brown at the anal angle, middle, and apex. The hindwings are chocolate brown, but slightly darker towards the outer margin with a thin dark brown border along the outer margin. The fringe is pale grey, but darker on the outside. The head and thorax are grey to greenish and the abdomen is brown.
In Canada, adults have been recorded from mid April to mid May, in June and from July to September. In the UK, adults are on wing in July and August. Adults have been found visiting thistle flowers.
The larvae feed on Alnus rubra, Alnus incana, Betula papyrifera, Populus balsamifera
, Salix and Prunus
species. It is a solitary leafroller, found under a silken web on the upper surface of a leaf of the host plant. The frass
is caught in the web. Larvae have been recorded from mid June to late July in North America.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Choreutidae
Choreutidae
Choreutidae, or "metalmark moths," are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order whose relationships have been long disputed. It was placed previously in the superfamily Yponomeutoidea in family Glyphipterigidae and in superfamily Sesioidea. It is now considered to represent its own superfamily...
family. It is found in northern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 14-18 mm. It is a variable species. The forewings are mottled, often with some green or bluish-green visible. The antemedial line is black, strongly jagged and broadest at costa and is followed by pale greenish to white. The median area is pale to dark olive to olive brown. The postmedial line is black and often only visible as two sharp black teeth on the lower half. The postmedial area is mottled cream with brown to olive. The subterminal line is black and sometimes very distinct. The terminal line is usually reddish brown with a thin dark brown outer border. The fringe is pale greyish with dark brown at the anal angle, middle, and apex. The hindwings are chocolate brown, but slightly darker towards the outer margin with a thin dark brown border along the outer margin. The fringe is pale grey, but darker on the outside. The head and thorax are grey to greenish and the abdomen is brown.
In Canada, adults have been recorded from mid April to mid May, in June and from July to September. In the UK, adults are on wing in July and August. Adults have been found visiting thistle flowers.
The larvae feed on Alnus rubra, Alnus incana, Betula papyrifera, Populus balsamifera
Populus balsamifera
Populus balsamifera, commonly called balsam poplar, bamtree, eastern balsam poplar, hackmatack, tacamahac poplar, tacamahaca,...
, Salix and Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. There are around 430 species spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament.-Botany:Members of the genus...
species. It is a solitary leafroller, found under a silken web on the upper surface of a leaf of the host plant. The frass
Frass
Frass is the fine powdery material phytophagous insects pass as waste after digesting plant parts. It causes plants to excrete chitinase due to high chitin levels, it is a natural bloom stimulant, and has high nutrient levels. Frass is known to have abundant amoeba, beneficial bacteria, and fungi...
is caught in the web. Larvae have been recorded from mid June to late July in North America.