Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFTortricidae Members: Olethreutes Members: 4 NC Records

Olethreutes ochrosuffusanum (Heinrich, 1923) - No Common Name

Olethreutes ochrosuffusanumOlethreutes ochrosuffusanum
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Olethreutinae		Tribe:
Olethreutini		P3 Number:
51a0574		 MONA Number:
2806.00
Comments: Olethreutes is a large genus with over 130 recognized species worldwide. North America has around 80 recognized species, with at least 37 species occurring in North Carolina. Some species are very difficult to identify due to interspecific similarities in color and forewing pattern and only subtle differences in genitalia (Gilligan et al., 2008). In many instances, knowledge of the host plant is essential for a confident determination. All of the Nearctic species are leaf-tiers or leaf-rollers on deciduous trees and shrubs.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Heinrich (1923).Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun (1951)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Olethreutes ochrosuffusana is somewhat distinctive due to its overall yellowish-brown to burnt sienna coloration. The following description is based primarily on that of Heinrich (1923). The antenna is yellowish-brown with the upper surface of the first and second segments blotched with fuscous. The palp is a sordid whitish-ocherous except for the dark brown terminal segment, which has the extreme tip whitish. The second segment has one or two fuscous spots on the outer side and a dusting of fuscous at the apex of the tuft. The head and thorax, including the thoracic tuft, are reddish to yellowish-brown.

The forewing ground color varies from light reddish-brown to whitish-pink, with a series of larger patches and marks that are reddish-brown to yellowish-brown, and a shade or two darker than the ground. The major marks include a broad basal patch that begins on the inner margin near the wing base and extends towards the middle of the costa. It often extends far enough to meet a similar-colored, curved, costal tooth that narrows and terminates near the end of the postmedial bar. The elongated postmedial bar projects from the subcostal area at around four-fifths the wing length to the dorsal half of the outer margin, and is often preceded basally by a short, concolorous streak or spot. The only other conspicuous marks are a large pretornal patch along the inner margin, and a small apical spot. The apical half of the costa has four pairs of light-colored costal dashes, while the basal half tends to be a shade lighter than the surrounding ground color and stands out from the darker basal patch. The fringe is pale fuscous with a yellowish or brownish basal line, and the hindwing is pale smoky fuscous with a whitish fringe that has a dark basal band.
Wingspan: 19.0-20.5 mm (Heinrich, 1923).
Forewing Length: 9.0-10.5 mm (Gilligan et al., 2008).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) have illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are leaf-tiers on buckeyes, but details of the larval life history are lacking. Braun (1951) noted that this and other Olethreutes that feed on buckeyes initially cut the petiole of a leaflet, which causes it to droop and wilt. The larva first feeds within the folded young wilted leaflet, then cuts the petiole of a second leaflet, which is then folded within a third leaflet. In some cases the entire compound leaf may be involved in the feeding process.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Olethreutes ochrosuffusanum is endemic to eastern North America where as of 2024 it has been found in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and western North Carolina, and as a likely disjunct in the Ozark Uplift of Arkansas and Missouri. As of 2024, we have records from only three sites and all are in the northern Blue Ridge.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Olethreutes ochrosuffusanumAlamance 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.
Flight Comments: The adults have been observed from April through June in different areas of the range. As of 2024, our records are from mid-June to early-July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are typically found in rich hardwood forests.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on the leaves of buckeyes (Heinrich, 1926; Braun, 1951; Gibson and Merkle, 2006; Gilligan et al., 2008). The reported hosts include Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava), Ohio Buckeye (A. glabra), and Red Buckeye (A. pavia). Yellow Buckeye is presumably the only host that is used in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights. More information is needed on the larval life history in North Carolina and elsewhere.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Rich Montane Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S1S2]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species appears to be rare in North Carolina where it is at the southern limit of its range. Additional information is needed on its distribution and abundance before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Olethreutes ochrosuffusanum - None

Photos: 3
Olethreutes ochrosuffusanumRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-06-18
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Olethreutes ochrosuffusanumRecorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2021-06-18
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Olethreutes ochrosuffusanumRecorded by: Meriill Lynch on 2013-06-11
Watauga Co.
Comment: