Tortricids of agricultural importance

United States agriculture is constantly threatened by invasive species. Crop losses in the U.S. due to introduced insect pests are estimated to exceed $14 billion USD annually, and many of these pests are Lepidoptera. Worldwide, Tortricidae contains close to 700 economically important species, a number that is third only to the Noctuidae and Pyraloidea. Identification of tortricid pests can be difficult, and the availability of diagnostic resources prior to an invasion is essential for responding in a timely and appropriate manner to new introductions. Tortricids of Agricultural Importance is a cooperative project between the United States Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University, and California Department of Food and Agriculture designed to address the issue of tortricid pest identification. This initiative will contribute significantly to the protection of U.S. agriculture from invasive Lepidoptera by providing extensive adult and larval identification resources, descriptions of new pest species, and novel molecular diagnostic tools for tortricid pests.