Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFArgyresthiidae Members: Argyresthia Members: 8 NC Records

Argyresthia thuiella (Packard, 1871) - Arborvitae Leafminer Moth

Argyresthia thuiella
view caption 		Argyresthia thuiellaArgyresthia thuiella
view caption 		Argyresthia thuiella
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Yponomeutoidea		 Family:
Argyresthiidae		P3 Number:
36a0109		 MONA Number:
2481.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: The recorded host plant of this species is uncertain to have existed as a native species in North Carolina, with only a few populations along the western margin of the state at all likely. The moth can occur on cultivated specimens, however, and this may explain most of our records, particularly east of the mountains.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Argyresthia thuiellaAlamance 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%20Hanover 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) (Eiseman, 2022). At least some of our records come from cultivated Thuja, which does not naturally occur in North Carolina. - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [SNA?]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species may not be native to North Carolina and may be present here solely in association with cultivated specimens of Northern White Cedar.

 Photo Gallery for Argyresthia thuiella - Arborvitae Leafminer Moth

Photos: 11
Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2024-04-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-04-10
Durham Co.
Comment:
Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-04-11
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-17
Madison Co.
Comment: An adult that emerged from mines that were on ornamental arborvitae; occupied mines were collected on 23 March and adults began emerging on 17 April, 2021 (see companion photos of mines and larva).
Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-03-23
Madison Co.
Comment: Dead branchlets that were mined from the tip downward were on ornamental arborvitae. Dissected mines had larvae where dead needles met the green growth. One naked pupa was found inside, along with several reddish-green larvae (see companion photos of a larva).		Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-03-23
Madison Co.
Comment: A larva that was dissected from where the dead branchlet met live green tissue below (see companion photo of the branch).
Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-03-23
Madison Co.
Comment: A larva that was dissected from where the dead branchlet met live green tissue below (see companion photo of the branch). 		Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-04-13
Wake Co.
Comment:
Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-05-01
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-05-01
Warren Co.
Comment:
Argyresthia thuiella
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-05-01
Warren Co.
Comment: