020 Argyrotaenia ljungiana

TORTRICIDAE | Tortricinae: Archipini

49.020 Argyrotaenia ljungiana (Heather Tortrix)

ws: 12-16mm; bivoltine in south Apr-May, Jun-Jul, univoltine in north Apr-Jun; various trees and shrubs especially heather (Calluna/Erica) and bog-myrtle (Myrica gale); common on heaths and moors (and in my urban garden).
Synonyms: A.pulchellana (BTM), A.politana (Pierce and Metclafe)

Argyrotaenia ljungiana §1

ID: The silver-white ground colour is usually conspicuous and is characteristic of this species. This is a variable species: the ground colour may be suffused with grey; the usually red-brown markings may be much blacker; the detail of the markings - fascial margins, breadth of median fascia, smoothness of colouration of the markings are all quite variable. The general pattern, however, is readily recognisable and there are no very similar species.

Variation
Dissection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia

§1 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 13/04/2007
§2 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 07/05/2007
§3 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 08/05/2008
§4 Foulness, Essex; 16/05/2008
§5 Foulness, Essex; 15/05/2010; fw 8.0mm
§6 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 20/07/2010
§7 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 15/04/2011; male
§8 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 11/05/2012; male
§9 Foulness, Essex; 19/05/2012; male; fw 8.1mm
All images © Chris Lewis

§10 Foulness, Essex; 26/07/2014; female; fw 7.3mm
§11 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 07/05/2011
§12 Foulness, Essex; 03/08/2018; male; fw 6.4mm
§13 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 22/04/2020; male; fw 7.5mm
§14 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 04/05/2020; male; fw 7.5mm
§15 Loch Rannoch, Perthshire; 12/06/2021; female; fw 6.9mm
§16 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 14/08/2021; male