Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Argyresthiidae Members:	Argyresthia Members:	86 NC Records

Argyresthia oreasella Clemens, 1860 - Cherry Shoot Borer Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Yponomeutoidea

Family:
Argyresthiidae

P3 Number:
36a0094

MONA Number:
2467.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Busck (1907a)

Adult Markings: Argyresthia oreasella has a unique pattern that consists of golden-brown marks on an otherwise silvery-white body. The following description is based in part on that of Busck (1907a). The labial palp is silvery-white, as is the head and thorax from above. The face is white with a tinge of gold, while the antenna is white with golden-brown annulations. The forewing has a silvery-white ground color that is overlain with pale-golden to bronzy-gold marks, with all except the basal streak having a thin margin of dark-brown scales. These include 1) a pale, golden, longitudinal streak that runs from the base of the costa to about one-fifth the wing length and diverges from the costa very slightly, 2) a broad, slightly oblique, median band that extends from the inner margin and gradually tapers to the costa, 3) a curved band immediately following the first band that begins at around two-thirds the costal length and curves to the subtornal region of the inner margin, and 4) a broad, longitudinal band that extends from the middle of the second band and ends below the apex. This band sometimes has small extensions at the end that reach the costa and outer margin. The outer fringe is golden-brown with a dark-brown basal line that is more prominent on the costal half before the apex. The hindwing and fringe vary from dark-gray to grayish-brown, while the outer portions of the legs are white with dark-brown dusting or spots where the segments join.

Wingspan: 13 mm (Busck, 1907a)

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The larvae use members of the Rosaceae and feed on the leaf buds and young shoots. Wellhouse (1922) reported that the larvae frequently attack hawthorns in New York. The young larva first bores through the terminal leaf bud and then into the stem below. It makes a hole in the side of the twig around 1-2 cm from the tip and uses this to deposit frass outside of the burrow. When fully grown, the larva leaves its burrow and spins a parchment-like cocoon that is surrounded by an open layer of lacework. The cocoon is attached to the surface of a leaf, and the infested twig wilts and browns soon after the larva leaves the burrow. Larvae around Ithaca were present in May, and the adults emerged from 15-30 June. Wellhouse (1922) surmised that a second small brood might be produced in August based on a few adults that were caught at that time. The larvae were mostly green, but with black heads.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Argyresthia oreasella is broadly distributed across North America, including most of southern Canada from British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, the Pacific Northwest, and portions of the Rocky Mountains from Montana to Colorado. In the eastern US, the range includes every state east of the Mississippi River, except Florida, along with Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri. Populations are rare or absent from much of the southeastern Coastal Plain. In North Carolina, A. oreasella is widespread in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont, but uncommon in the Coastal Plain where it is restricted to bottomland habitats.

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
Flight Comments: The adults have been observed from May through September in different areas of the range, with the peak flight from June through August. As of 2025, our records extend from late-April to late-July, with populations in the Blue Ridge flying 3-4 weeks later than those in the Piedmont.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats:

Larval Host Plants: The larvae appear to specialize on members of the Rosaceae (Wellhouse, 1922; Prentice, 1966; Shiell et al., 2002; Robinson et al., 2023). The reported hosts as of 2025 include Saskatoon Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), Running Serviceberry (A. stolonifera), hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), European Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris), Fire Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) and Choke Cherry (P. virginiana). Reports of this species using oaks are unsubstantiated, and probably based on Busck (1907a) and Forbes (1923) suggesting this as a possibility. As of 2025, we do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Rosaceous Thickets

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [S4S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Argyresthia oreasella - Cherry Shoot Borer Moth

81 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2025-07-03 Macon Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-06-18 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-06-18 Alamance Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-29 Durham Co. Comment:
iNaturalist	Recorded by: denisewill - Denise Williams on 2025-05-23 Caldwell Co. Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/285084893***(c) Denise Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)\| Public Positional Accuracy= ? Elevation=1309.4 feet	Recorded by: David George on 2025-05-16 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-14 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-12 Watauga Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-11 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25 Yancey Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Owen McConnell and Simpson Eason on 2024-06-21 Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-06-20 Watauga Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-06-18 Lincoln Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Patrick Coin, Mark Basinger on 2024-06-16 Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-13 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-13 Madison Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08 Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-06-03 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-06-01 Transylvania Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2024-05-13 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-13 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31 Macon Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-26 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-25 Madison Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George on 2023-07-13 Durham Co. Comment: