Boxelder Leafroller – Archips negundanus

Boxelder Leafroller   Scientific Name:  Archips negundana Common Name:  Boxelder leafroller Appearance:  Boxelder leafroller is a yellowish-brown moth with a total wingspan of 18 to 21 mm. The adults have compound eyes and a dark, segmented abdomen. The females are generally larger than the males, with a difference in the colour of the underside of the abdomen.   Host Plants or Food: Boxelder leafroller mainly lives off of boxelder plant. Other host plants include raspberry, honeysuckle, birch, and several shrubs. Territory: Throughout North America, Western USA, Eastern USA Mode of Damage:  The early larval instars form a web on the foliage and feed on the leaf tissue in between the veins. As it grows, the larva becomes a leaf miner and rolls the leaves before webbing them together, hence their name. While boxelder is a fast grower, an extreme infestation may cause complete defoliation. Habits and Life History: Boxelder leafroller usually emerges from mid-June to early July, after which they start their reproductive cycle. The females lay eggs in groups of 30 eggs in the barks and stems of the boxelder plant, where they overwinter during the colder months. After hatching, the larva moves to the leaves, where they feed on the foliage until they are ready to pupate. Once the larva is fully grown, it forms a silk cocoon in the rolled leaves and pupates in there till July, after which they emerge as adults. They only produce one generation per year.