Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Heliozelidae Members:	Coptodisca Members:	2 NC Records

Coptodisca kalmiella Dietz, 1921 - No Common Name

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Taxonomy

Family:
Heliozelidae

P3 Number:
21a0092

MONA Number:
256.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Hileman and Lieto (1981); Eiseman (2021)

Adult Markings: The following is based on the original description by Dietz (1921). The head, labial palps and antennae are silvery gray. The forewing is golden-brown from the base to about the middle of the wing length, then gradually phases into golden yellow. An opposing pair of silvery triangular spots is present at about two-thirds the wing length on both the costa and dorsal margin. The apices of the spots nearly meet near the middle of the wing, and both spots are surrounded proximally and distally with black. There is a black costal stria before the apex. A trapezoidal black spot is present in the basal two-thirds of the cilia and at the apex, with the latter surmounted by a black line extending to the edge of the cilia. The basal two-thirds of the dorsal cilia in the apical third of the wing has two broad, concentric lines separated by a pale line of the ground color. Proximal to this is a brownish tuft that extends from the base to free margin of the cilia. The rest of the cilia is brownish gray. The hindwing is very narrow, with the cilia about three times their width.

Immatures and Development: Hileman and Lieto (1981) and Eiseman (2021) described the larval life history. The larvae are active from May to early July in northern populations and mine the previous year’s leaves. A given female will typically lay several eggs along the midrib and the larvae produce irregular, full-depth mines that project at an angle towards the leaf margin. The mines are initially serpentine but become blotch-like with time, with the frass deposited towards the initial half of the mine. Up to 14 mines have been found in a single leaf. When fully grown, the larva cuts out an oval case that is 2.5–3 mm long and about 1.5 mm wide from a part of the mine that is free of frass. It then drops to the ground and pupates about a day later in leaf litter or ground debris. The adults emerge in late July, and the females lay overwintering eggs on the leaves beginning in mid-August.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Coptodisca kalmiella is restricted to eastern North America and primarily to northern latitudes. Populations occur in southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec; Laborador; Nova Scotia) and in the US from Vermont and central Maine southward along coastal regions to Rhode Island. Apparent southern disjuncts occur in eastern New Jersey and in coastal North Carolina, where Tracy Feldman recently discovered this species. As of 2023, our only record is from Carteret County.

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 larvae are active from May to early July in northern populations, with the adults flying in late July (Eiseman, 2021).

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally associated with acidic, ericaceous bogs and shrublands.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on several genera of ericaceous plants. The reported hosts include Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia), and Carolina Laurel (K. carolina). As of 2023, our only record for North Carolina is for Carolina Laurel. - View

Observation Methods: We recommend searching for the leaf mines and rearing the adults.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Coastal Plain Wet-Dry Heath Thickets

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1S3

State Protection:

Comments: As of 2023, we have a single record for the state that may reflect the southernmost population within the range of this species. Additional information is needed on its distribution and abundance within North Carolina before we can fully assess its conservation status.

Photo Gallery for Coptodisca kalmiella - No Common Name

Photos: 6

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, John Petranka, Sally Gewalt, Chuck Smith, Beth Knipper-Smith on 2025-04-16 Bladen Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, John Petranka, Sally Gewalt, Chuck Smith, Beth Knipper-Smith on 2025-04-16 Bladen Co. Comment: Over 50 unoccupied mines were on Kalmia carolina.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, John Petranka, Sally Gewalt, Chuck Smith, Beth Knipper-Smith on 2025-04-16 Bladen Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2022-06-30 Carteret Co. Comment: Mines on Kalmia carolina.
	Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2022-06-30 Carteret Co. Comment: Mines on Kalmia carolina.		Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2022-06-30 Carteret Co. Comment: A mine on Kalmia carolina.