Collected a handful of leaf rolls from a Nordmann Fir just outside Worcester yesterday evening. I suspected I was looking at two different species judging from the different ways in which they had been constructed, and this was confirmed when I opened a couple up to reveal visibly different larvae. The larvae of fraternana are described as being light green with the head and pronotum light brown - a seemingly good match for the last photo above. I've got no experience with this species, nor has the internet turned up any photos of the early stages, so hopefully they'll pupate and reveal their true identities in due course!
I hope so too. Once you get a positive id, upload them onto the new super-duper Dissection website, which is now collecting adult and larval and all other stages images (by the bucketful)
ReplyDeleteI reared Ditula angustiorana off Fir last year so I Googled Red-barred Tortrix larva and found images to match both your specimens fairly well. I'm certainly not saying they both are that species but possibly? I didn't photograph my specimens but I'm sure they were green. Could well be something far more interesting of course, hopefully! Patrick
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments both.
ReplyDeletePatrick, I'm sure you're right. The larvae of angustiorana look to be quite variable! Nevertheless, I'll rear them though just in case - looking back through my files I haven't photographed Red-barred Tort since 2009, so it'll be a bonus!
Thanks,
Bill
Whatever they are, if you are successful rearing these, as Peter says, do please consider uploading the images to the expanding Dissection Website, along with anything similar you may have.
DeleteI've just this minute signed up. Will start uploading right away.
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