Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Coleophoridae Members:	Coleophora Members:	13 NC Records

Coleophora new species 1 on Kalmia latifolia none - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family:
Coleophoridae

P3 Number:
59a1581.12

MONA Number:
1273.10

Comments: Coleophora kalmiella is a uniformly light brown species that specializes on species of Kalmia. Eiseman (2021) suspected that there may be two species that are miners of Kalmia, with one an undescribed species. Jeff Niznik subsequently reared two adults from K. latifolia from North Carolina that are similar, but have a distinct white costal margin on the forewing. These have subsequently been shown through DNA barcoding to be a different, undescribed species (here referred to as 'Coleophora new species 1 on Kalmia latifolia'. As of 2025, it is uncertain if C. kalmiella occurs in the state. Since these two species are easily separated by the presence or absence of the white costal margin, additional rearing will hopefully clarify whether C. kalmiella is present in North Carolina.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources:

Adult Markings: The adults have a uniformly light brown forewing except for a white costal margin. The white margin is broadest at the wing base and gradually narrows before fading out at around three-fourths the wing length. The thorax and head are light brown above, with the latter having white scales above the eyes. The antenna is boldly marked with alternating white and dark brown annulations, and the palps are white. This species resembles several of our other Coleophora species that have brown forewings within white costal margins and is best identified by rearing of adults from larvae that are collected from the host plant.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.

Immatures and Development: The recent discovery of a second Coleophora species that feeds on Mountain Laurel has confounded the interpretation of reported life history information. Both C. kalmiella and 'Coleophora new species 1 on Kalmia latifolia' appear to have very similar, if not identical, larval life histories. The following account likely applies well to both species.

The young larvae mine the leaf and deposit the frass inside the mine. They eventually cut out a part of a leaf and construct a typical Coleophora case. From that point on they form a blotch mine with an entrance hole, with the frass deposited outside of the mine (Eiseman, 2022). Landry (1998; cited in Eiseman, 2022) found maturing larvae alongside very small, early cases, which suggests that two years are required to complete the life cycle in Canada. This may vary geographically however. A linear mine found in the Blue Ridge in August was reared by Jeff Niznik and resulted in an adult the following spring. Adults emerge in late May in Massachusetts and from late June to early July in Nova Scotia (Eiseman, 2022). Our two reared adults in North Carolina emerged in late April to early May.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: The range of this undescribed species is rather poorly documented. Adults or mines have been found in Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia), and in the US from Vermont and Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Coast states to North Carolina (Eiseman, 2022). there are also historical records from Kentucky. Jeff Niznik and David George recently discovered this species in the Piedmont of North Carolina, which is the southernmost known record for this species.

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: The adult emerge from late May in Massachusetts to late June to early July in Nova Scotia (Eiseman, 2021). In North Carolina, our records of adults are from late April to early May.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally associated with Kalmia thickets.

Larval Host Plants:

Observation Methods: The adults resemble several other Coleophora species and cannot be reliably identified from images unless they are reared. We recommend searching Mountain Laurel for the mines and larvae.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [S1S3]

State Protection:

Comments: As of 2025 we have one site record each from the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge. Additional information is needed on the distribution and abundance of this species in North Carolina before we can assess its conservation status.

Photo Gallery for Coleophora new species 1 on Kalmia latifolia - No common name

Photos: 25

	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-05 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-05 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-30 Orange Co. Comment: Eclosed from case found on Kalmia latifolia (see photo from 2025-04-14)		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-30 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-30 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-11-24 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-11-24 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-11-24 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-11-11 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-11-11 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-14 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-14 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-08-07 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-10-29 Orange Co. Comment: An unoccupied mine on Mountain Laurel; note the cut-out at the end.
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-10-29 Orange Co. Comment: An unoccupied mine on Mountain Laurel; note the cut-out at the end.		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-10-29 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2022-11-21 Orange Co. Comment: An unoccupied mine on Mountain Laurel.