SeasonalityEarly July to mid August in Alberta.IdentificationThe forewing is light grey to pinkish grey with traces of thin dark lines. There are distinctive bands that are brown to grey and are edged by black lines. The hindwing is yellowish with fine darker grey reticulations.
The larva is greyish green to cream coloured with a black head and thoracic shield (Duncan 2006).
Scientific NameArchips albertaHabitat
Coniferous forest.
Seasonality
Early July to mid August in Alberta.
Identification
The forewing is light grey to pinkish grey with traces of thin dark lines. There are distinctive bands that are brown to grey and are edged by black lines. The hindwing is yellowish with fine darker grey…
The forewing is light grey to pinkish grey with traces of thin dark lines. There are distinctive bands that are brown to grey and are edged by black lines. The hindwing is yellowish with fine darker grey reticulations.
The larva is greyish green to cream coloured with a black head and thoracic shield (Duncan 2006).
Life History
Archips alberta is a solitary defoliator that can cause some cone crop damage. The larva overwinters in the first instar and in the spring resumes mining needles and webs adjacent needles together. Later instars…
Archips alberta is a solitary defoliator that can cause some cone crop damage. The larva overwinters in the first instar and in the spring resumes mining needles and webs adjacent needles together. Later instars feed on foliage and cones, often with considerable webbing where it often later pupates in June. Adults frequent lights and eggs are typically laid in the dense crowns of Black Spruce. (Duncan 2006)
Conservation
Uncommon, but not of concern.
Diet Info
The larva mainly feeds on Black Spruce (Picea mariana), but also White Spruce (Picea glauca) and Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii) foliage and cones (Freeman 1958; MacKay 1962; Razowski 1977; Duncan 2006).
Range
Anywhere spruce grows in Alberta, transcontinental across boreal Canada and south through the mountains to Utah.
Citation
Page Citation for Archips alberta
Page Citation
"Species Details - Archips alberta, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-19942. Accessed 05 Jan. 2025.
References
AuthorDuncan, R. W.
TitleConifer Defoliators of British Columbia.
Publication Date2006
Pages359 pp.
AuthorMacKay, M. R.
TitleLarvae of the North American Tortricinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
Publication Date1962
Series TitleThe Canadian Entomologist. Supplement
Volume28
AuthorRazowski J.
TitleMonograph of the Genus Archips Hübner (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae)
Publication Date1977
Series TitleActa Zoologica Cracoviensia
Volume22
Pages55-206
AuthorFreeman, T. N.
TitleThe Archipinae of North America (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
Publication Date1958
Series TitleThe Canadian Entomologist Supplement
Specimen Information
There are 12 specimens of this Species.
12 results plotted on map in 5 markers. Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Birch Mountains Wildland Provincial Park, Gardiner LakesCollected ByMacaulay, D. A.; Macaulay, S. H.Date Collected2004-07-16