Ortholepis pasadamia

Dyar, 1917

Striped Birch Pyralid Moth, Paper Birch Leaftier

Ortholepis pasadamia is a pyralid native to North America, commonly known as the striped birch pyralid moth or paper birch leaftier. The was described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1917. Its larvae are specialized feeders on birch trees, and the 'paper birch leaftier' suggests larval involving tying or rolling leaves. The species has been documented across a broad northern range from eastern Canada to the north-central United States.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ortholepis pasadamia: /ɔrˈθɒlɛpɪs ˌpæsəˈdeɪmiə/

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Distribution

Recorded from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan in Canada; Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Wisconsin in the United States; and Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec in eastern Canada. GBIF adds Saskatchewan and Vermont to the published distribution.

Diet

Larvae feed on birch (Betula spp.). Specific birch consumed have not been documented in available sources.

Host Associations

  • Betula - larval food plant-level association only; specific birch unknown

Behavior

The 'paper birch leaftier' suggests larval leaf-tying or leaf-rolling , though this has not been confirmed in primary literature.

More Details

Original Description

Originally described as Immyrla pasadamia Dyar, 1917, and later transferred to Ortholepis.

Sources and further reading