Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha): Choose a Family

Home

View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Olethreutes Members:	133 NC Records

Olethreutes fasciatana (Clemens, 1860) - Banded Olethreutes

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Olethreutinae

Tribe:
Olethreutini

P3 Number:
51a0591

MONA Number:
2823.00

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: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Adult Markings: This species is best distinguished by it having a single white transverse band on the forewing at around one-third the wing length that contrasts with a nearly black basal patch and a darker medial area. On fresh specimens, the head and thorax are brownish-black to black, with the palps mostly white with a light brownish dusting on the upper side. The dark-brown to brownish-black basal patch on the forewing is weakly arched outward and fills the entire basal third of the wing. It abuts against a wide, white, transverse band that has a few darker striations or specks within. The white transverse band is bordered posterior by a broad region of darker scales from around one-half to three-fourths the wing length that are a varying mix of blackish, orangish and leaden-gray scales, with the blackish scales predominating. The terminal fourth of the wing has three pairs of whitish strigulae along the costa that fuse and project towards the middle of the outer margin where they meet a postmedial bar that has a mix of orangish and blackish scales. The tornus commonly has a whitish spot, and there is a blackish spot at the apex. The fringe is whitish to tawny with several darker patches and a dark basal line. The hindwing is brown with a lighter fringe and a thin basal line. Worn specimens are usually less colorful, with brown to blackish-brown coloration predominating.

Olethreutes fasciatana is similar to a few other species such as O. valdana and Orthotaenia undulana, but the posterior margin of the basal patch of these species is usually noticeably wavy and irregular, and the terminal fourth of the wing has more extensively developed white scaling to produce a second, highly-irregular, transverse band that extends from the tornus to the costa at around three-fourths the wing length. The fringe of Olethreutes fasciatana is also distinctly patterned, with the apex black, followed by three alternating patches of white and black scales, with the largest black patch where the postmedial bar contacts the outer margin.

Wingspan: 13-16 mm (Heinrich, 1926).

Forewing Length: 5.0-8.0 mm (Gilligan et al., 2008).

Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) has 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 solitary leaf rollers that use poplars and willows (Prentice, 1966), but details of the larval life history are lacking.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Olethreutes fasciatana is found throughout most of the eastern US and in adjoining areas of southern Canada from Manitoba eastward to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In the US the range extends from Maine and other New England states southward along the Atlantic Seaboard to northern Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska, Minnesota and northeastern Nebraska. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina, but is less common in the Coastal Plain relative to the Piedmont and Blue Ridge.

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 March to September in different areas of the range. As of 2024, our records extend from mid-May to early-September, with peak seasonal activity from May through July.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This species is common in many areas that lack poplars and where willows are the likely hosts.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae appear to specialize on poplars and willows (Prentice, 1965; Miller, 1987; Brown et al. 2008; Lam et al., 2011). The reported hosts include Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and willows (Salix). Forbes (1923) reported dock (Rumex) to be a host, which needs additional verification. Populations in North Carolina presumably feed on our native willows and perhaps other hosts, but remarkably little is known about host use in the US. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights. More information is needed on host use in North Carolina.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Shoreline Shrublands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5

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 secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Olethreutes fasciatana - Banded Olethreutes

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

	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-29 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-24 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-20 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-20 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2025-05-16 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-10 Watauga Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-25 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-20 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-14 Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-12 Wake 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: John Petranka on 2024-06-07 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-02 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-02 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-30 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2024-05-27 Polk Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-20 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-05-17 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-15 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-15 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-08-14 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-06 Orange Co. Comment: