Some Eggs of Moths among the Olethreutidae and Tortricidae (Lepidoptera)

Abstract

Since 1961 the author has published a series of papers on eggs of moths in The Florida Entomologist. To date papers have appeared on types of eggs among moths (1961) and eggs among Geometridae (1962b), Amatidae, Arctiidae and Notodontidae (1963a), Pyralidae and Phycitidae (1963b), and Noctuidae (1964). This report describes egg types seen among species of two families, Olethreutidae and Tortricidae. The number of species in these families in North America is moderate to large. McDunnough (1939) records 714 species for the Olethreutidae and 211 for the Tortricidae. I have seen the eggs cf more than 25 species of the Olethreutidae; 10 are figured. Many of the remainder have not been determined to species. Eggs from 22 species of the Tortricidae have been seen; 16 are figured. Th3 majority of the eggs seen came from gravid females captured at black light lures located in several states. Captured females were placed individually in polyethylene bags or in wide screw-cap vials lined with polyethylene. Egg depositories, namely small smooth leaves, rough paper or pieces of rough bark, were included in some of the containers. In nature females of these families may deposit their eggs on foliage, fruit, stems, or bark of trees or shrubs and occasionally elsewhere. Eggs of the Olethreutidae are deposited singly (1, 2, 4, 7-10) and scattered or in small irregular clusters (5, 6). Each egg is usually somewhat oval and scale-like in shape with the surface adjacent to the substrate distinctly flattened. T'heir lengths vary from 0.4 to 1.0 millimeters. The vertical height of an egg is usually no greater than one-half the width of the egg. When they occur in clusters some irregular overlapping (5-6) may be present. The color of olethreutid eggs varies from a milky white to light green or yellow. Some are highly translucent. Among translucent eggs (2) all stages of the developing embryo within can be seen, especially if the egg is located on a transparent substrate. Also the color of the substrate may be seen through the egg. This is well illustrated among eggs of the codling moth (10) when located on green foliage. The visible surface of the chorion above the substrate varies somewhat in texture. It may be smooth (1), granular or covered with distinct pimples or dimples (8), or irregular depressions (7) surrounded by minute ridges. The following (1-10) are microphotographs of ten species. All have the same magnification. Fig. 1. Bactra verutana Zell. eggs are oval, scale-like, near white to yellowish, and somewhat translucent. They are deposited singly and scat-