Olethreutes quadrifidum

Appearance

Adults: olivaceous brown in color with somewhat darker apical and mid costal patches. The forewings of this species differ from O. punctana by lacking a dark basal patch and discal spot, and from O. inornatana by having a fine line of white scaling following the fold.

A Tortricid moth of the subfamily Olethreutinae and tribe Olethreutini. Formerly in the genus Exartema along with the related species punctana and quadrifidus but now in the large genus Olethreutes. These three species all have wings that are olivaceous brown in color with somewhat darker apical and mid costal patches, wingspans in the 16-20 mm range, fly at the same time and have similar food plants. The fore wings of this species differ from punctana by lacking a dark basal patch and discal spot, and from inornatana by having a fine line of white scaling following the fold. Like punctana, the male genitalia have a digitus near the cucullus while punctana and inornatana have a digitus projecting from the neck of the harpe near the sacculus. The male genitalia are illustrated in both Heinrich (1926) and Miller (1987).

Naming

Olethreutes quadrifidum (Zeller, 1875)
Exartema quadrifidum Zeller, 1875
Cymolomia quadrifidum

Specific epithet is Latin meaning "split into four parts" for the "strong, dirty white vein on the forewing with four smaller branches" that distinguish the moth.

Distribution

US: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Canada: Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia

Status

Widespread, and of no concern.

Behavior

Comes to light.

Habitat

Brushy or wooded areas with dogwood and chokecherry.

Food

Larvae are leaf tiers on dogwood (Cornus), including redosier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), and chokecherry (Prunus virginiana).