Moths of North Carolina
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Olethreutes Members:
8 NC Records

Olethreutes auricapitana (Walsingham, 1879) - No Common Name

Olethreutes auricapitanaOlethreutes auricapitana
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Olethreutinae		Tribe:
Olethreutini		P3 Number:
51a0598		 MONA Number:
2830.00
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, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In this species that palps and head tuft are yellowish-golden, while the thorax and ground color of the forewing have a mixture of yellowish-golden and dark-brown to blackish scales. The yellowish-golden coloration is most prevalent on the dorsal half of the wing and around the apex. The remainder of the wing has a series of lustrous silvery-gray striae and spots that are scattered along the forewing. These include a pair of antemedial costal striae that abruptly fused to form an outwardly angled "V" shape that terminates about one-third of the way between the costa and the dorsal margin. It is followed by one or two silvery-gray spots, with the largest occurring at around one-half the distance to the dorsal margin (MPG). A silvery-gray spot is also present opposite the pair of costal striae near the dorsal margin. A smaller spot is often present between the dorsal spot and the cell. The costal striae lack white scales at the costal margin, and the labial palps tend to be uniformly gold with a few brown scales visible in some specimens. The apical third of the wing has three pairs of golden costal strigulae, and the outer margin is narrowly lined with a row of golden spots.

Pristerognatha agilana is sometimes confused with Olethreutes auricapitana. A key distinction is that the two silvery antemedial lines of O. auricapitana fuse to form a ā€˜Vā€™ that terminates about one-third of the way between the costa and the dorsal margin. The two lines tend to run parallel to one another, often remain separate, and extend much farther inward in P. agilana. The former also has a silvery spot above the V near the dorsal margin (absent in P. agilana), along with golden colored palps and head tufts, versus more whitish palps and blackish head tufts for P. agilana.
Forewing Length: 5.0-6.0 mm (Gilligan et al., 2008).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) has illustrations of the male and female genitalia. The valva has strong spines on the medial margin of the neck cavity, clustering at the base of the cucullus, and a dense patch of weak spines on the basal end of the neck cavity. The corpus bursae has a signum.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: Aaron Hunt (BugGuide) reared a larva from a leaf roll on New York Fern. A larva that was collected on 14 June pupated in late-June, with the adult emerging on 5 July. The larva rolled the terminal tip of the frond to make a feeding shelter, and had a translucent green body with a dark brown head capsule and prothoracic shield.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Olethreutes auricapitana is endemic to eastern North America. The range is rather poorly defined, with scattered records from southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island), and in the US from Maine southward to the Carolinas, eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia, and westward to Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. As of 2024, we have only three site records from the Blue Ridge and Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Olethreutes auricapitana
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ā‰„ 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. As of 2024, our records extend from late-May through mid-August, with all but one from May and June.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are associated with mesic and bottomland hardwood forests.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are poorly documented. Heinrich (1926) reported Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) as a host, but this needs additional verification and seems unlikely given that Aaron Hunt (BugGuide) reared a larva from a leaf roll on New York Fern (Amauropelta noveboracensis), and there is an additional BugGuide record (Marcie O'Connor) for a larva on a lady fern (Athyrium). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights. Information is needed on host use in North Carolina.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR[S2S3]
State Protection:
Comments: Although widely distributed, O. auricapitana appears to be an uncommon species throughout its range. As of 2024, we have only three site records for North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Olethreutes auricapitana - None

Photos: 5

Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-16
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-20
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-06-03
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2019-05-21
Jones Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-06-29
Madison Co.
Comment: