About Phtheochroa rugosana (Hübner, 1796-1799)
Phtheochroa rugosana is a small moth species belonging to the family Tortricidae. Its distribution extends from western Europe – including the Iberian Peninsula, France, and the British Isles – east to Benelux, Switzerland, and Italy, and continues across the Balkans and Hungary into Asia Minor and Armenia. It can also be found in the Maghreb region, where it may not occur in Tunisia, and on the Canary Islands. This moth has a wingspan of 18 to 23 mm. Adult moths are active from May to July, and the species produces one new generation each year. The caterpillars of Phtheochroa rugosana feed on red bryony, Bryonia dioica, and are thought to also feed on squirting cucumber, Ecballium elaterium. Unusually for this group, the caterpillars have also been recorded feeding on rotting wood.
The accepted scientific name for this species is Phtheochroa rugosana, originally described by Hübner between 1796 and 1799.
