Moths of North Carolina
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Olethreutes Members:
8 NC Records

Olethreutes fagigemmeana (Chambers, 1878) - No Common Name

Olethreutes fagigemmeanaOlethreutes fagigemmeanaOlethreutes fagigemmeanaOlethreutes fagigemmeana
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Olethreutinae		Tribe:
Olethreutini		P3 Number:
51a0577		 MONA Number:
2809.00
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 (1926)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Olethreutes fagigemmeana is sexually dimorphic, with males and females having more-or-less the same patterning, but differing in coloration (Gilligan et al., 2008). In females the major marks on the distal portion of the forewing vary from orange to orangish-red, while the interfascial region that surrounds the marks has a pinkish hue. The basal half of the wing has dull olive marks, with the interfascial areas whitish. In addition, the costal portion of the basal area is whitish. The orangish and olive colorations grade into one another near the center of the wing. Males are generally similar in patterning but have yellowish-olive marks with pale margins throughout the entire wing, along with silvery-gray interfascial areas.

The major dark marks include 1) a basal patch that extends obliquely outward from the inner margin at about one-fifth the wing length before ending near the center of the wing, 2) a narrow, subcostal basal streak that terminates near the end of the basal patch, and 3) a medial fascia that consists of a costal tooth, middle tooth and a dorsal patch with the apex narrowing posteriorly. The dorsal patch is often not joined to the middle tooth at the base. On females, the fascia color transitions from olive on the dorsal patch to orangish-red on the costal tooth. Beyond the medial fascia there is a triangular, subtornal patch with the tip projecting basally and often fusing with the median patch, and an elongated, oblique, postmedial bar that begins below the costa at around four-fifths the wing length and projects towards the middle of the outer margin. A series of four or five triangular spots are present along the apical half of the costa that curve posteriorly and narrow to a fine tip. These alternate with pairs of white dashes that continue as leaden lines that project towards the outer margin. The fringe has a mixture of whitish and dark-brown patches with a dark basal line, while the hindwing is brown with a whitish fringe that has a dark basal band. The females of this species are distinctively colored, but the males in some cases may require dissection.
Wingspan: 15-19 mm (Heinrich, 1926).
Forewing Length: 7.5-8.5 mm (Gilligan et al. (2008).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) has illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are leaf-tiers that feed on beech and hop hornbeam, but details of the larval life history are unavailable.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Olethreutes fagigemmeana in endemic to eastern North America where is occurs in southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec; Nova Scotia), and in the US from Maine and other New England states southwestward mostly through the Appalachian region to western North Carolina, northern Georgia, central Alabama and Mississippi. The range extends westward to Indiana, southern Michigan and western Kentucky. As of 2024, all of our records are from lower-elevation sites in the Blue Ridge.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Olethreutes fagigemmeana
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 a seasonal peak in June and July. As of 2024, our records range from early-june through late-July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: This species frequents rich hardwood forests and forest edge habitats.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are poorly documented, with only American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) and American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) reported as hosts (Heinrich, 1926; Gilligan et al. (2008).
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR[S1S3]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Olethreutes fagigemmeana appears to be rare in North Carolina with only three site records as of 2024. More information is needed on its hosts, habitat requirements and life history before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Olethreutes fagigemmeana - None

Photos: 11

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-14
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-10
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-20
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2019-06-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2019-06-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Merrill lynch on 2013-07-02
Watauga Co.
Comment: