Moths of North Carolina
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Olethreutes Members:
13 NC Records

Olethreutes osmundana (Fernald, 1879) - Fern Olethreutes


Olethreutes osmundana
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Olethreutes osmundanaOlethreutes osmundanaOlethreutes osmundana
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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: OlethreutiniP3 Number: 51a0597 MONA Number: 2829.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The early instars initially mine the leaves of ferns and there can be more than one mine on a leaflet. Mines that were observed by Eiseman and Feldman (2024) on a Royal Fern in North Carolina were small and more or less elongated, and bounded by the leaf venation. The youngest mines had silk spun outside of them on the lower leaf surface. Frass was initially deposited outside of the mine entrance, then entirely within the mines as larvae matured. One older larva produced a frass-lined channel that cut across the veins, with digitate extensions to either side that were bounded by the veins. The older instars abandon the mines and tie leaflets together, then window feed on the plant tissues. Each larva constructs a silken tunnel that formed a retreat from which it makes feeding forays (Eiseman and Feldman, 2024). Pupation apparently occurs either within the leaf tie or in folded leaflet.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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)

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Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: The larvae specialize on ferns, including members of the Dennstaedtiaceae and Osmundaceae (Fernald, 1879; Heinrich, 1926; Eiseman and Feldman, 2024). The known hosts including Royal Fern (Osmunda spectabilis), Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) and Eastern Bracken Fern (Pteridium latiusculum = P. aquilinum). - View
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Olethreutes osmundana - Fern Olethreutes

Photos: 7

Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and John Petranka on 2023-06-14
Richmond Co.
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Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2022-07-20
Camden Co.
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Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2022-07-20
Camden Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-06-30
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Taylor on 2021-07-20
Beaufort Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-06-29
Onslow Co.
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