Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGelechiidae Members: Coleotechnites Members: 5 NC Records

Coleotechnites nigra (Busck) - No Common Name

Coleotechnites nigra
view caption 		Coleotechnites nigraColeotechnites nigra
Taxonomy
Family:
Gelechiidae		P3 Number:
59a0741		 MONA Number:
1823.00
Comments: Coleotechnites nigra (Busck) is a species that was formerly known as C. nigritus, with its nomenclatural status recently revised by Eiseman et al. (2025).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Eiseman et al. (2025)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Eiseman et al. (2025)                                                                                 
Forewing Length: 3.5–4.5 mm (Eiseman et al., 2025).
Adult Structural Features: Eiseman et al. (2025) provide illustrations and detailed descriptions of the male and female genitalia, and abdominal segment 8.
Immatures and Development: The larvae mine the leaves of native Hypericum species. They initially produce full-depth linear mines and deposit frass outside of the mine through a hole at the beginning of the mine. The early mine often has numerous shorter side channels, but eventually develops into a blotch that typically contains little or no frass. Eiseman et al. (2025) noted that the larvae may exit their mines and establish new ones in fresh leaves. They sometimes tie several leaves together, but do not surface feed on the leaves. Pupation occurs in the last mined leaf, and the exuviae remain in place when the adult emerges. The pupal stage is brief and probably last for only 2-4 weeks in the field (Eiseman et al., 2025). Local populations appear to be multivoltine throughout the known range.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Coleotechnites nigra appears to be restricted to eastern North America, but the range is poorly documented. As of 2025, specimens have been found in Ontario, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Florida.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Coleotechnites nigraAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
Flight Comments: Local populations are mutivoltine, with the adults in southern populations first emerging in late-April and early-May. In North Carolina, larvae have been collected in early-May, mid- to late-July, and early-December, with the adults emerging in early-June, late-August to early-September, and early to mid-January.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: The larvae specialize on Hypericum species. The reported hosts as of 2025 are H. crux-andreae (L.) Crantz, H. hypericoides, and H. prolificum (Eiseman et al., 2025).
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
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 Photo Gallery for Coleotechnites nigra - No common name

Photos: 13
Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-10-06
Burke Co.
Comment: Occupied mines were on Hypericum prolificum; larvae were light brown with a dark brown head capsule; dark frass was deposited outside of the mine at the beginning of the mine where an opening was present.		Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-10-06
Burke Co.
Comment:
Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-10-06
Burke Co.
Comment: 		Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2022-10-03
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2022-10-03
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2021-07-19
Durham Co.
Comment: on Hypericum hypericoides; adult emerged 2022-08-22
Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2021-07-19
Durham Co.
Comment: on Hypericum hypericoides; adult emerged 2022-08-22		Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2019-12-10
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2019-12-10
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2019-12-10
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2019-07-31
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2019-07-31
Wake Co.
Comment:
Coleotechnites nigra
Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2019-07-31
Wake Co.
Comment: