Moths of North Carolina

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Celypha cespitana of authors (not Hübner, [1817]) - Celypha Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Olethreutinae

Tribe:
Olethreutini

P3 Number:
51a0629

MONA Number:
2859.00

MONA Synonym:
Celypha cespitana

Other Common Name:
Thyme Marble

Comments: Celypha cespitana has historically been treated as a single species that is found in both North America and Eurasia, but DNA evidence suggests that the North American populations constitute a separate species (Gilligan et al., 2020). Gilligan and Brown (in Pohl and Nanz, 2023) proposed the placeholder name "Celypha cespitana of authors; (not Hübner, [1817])" for the North American populations. There is currently some confusion about the correct name to apply to the North American group, and many internet sites continue to refer to the North American populations as simply Celypha cespitana (see MPG for details).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Bennett (1961)

Adult Markings: Celypha cespitana is a geographically variable species, which is not surprising given its extensive geographic range. Specimens in North Carolina are drab-colored with an overall dull-brownish appearance. They have a single, well-defined, complete fascia on the forewing at around one-third the wing length, and an often incomplete and less well-defined fascia on the terminal third of the wing. The antemedial fascia is irregular on both sides and often has one to three parallel rows of darker, broken strigulae on a dull-white or light pale ground color. It is preceded by a basal region that is typically mottled with varying degrees of brownish, yellowish-brown, or blackish scale patches. The antemedial fascia is followed by a diffuse, irregular darker band of sorts that has varying levels of dark brown to blackish scaling that is intermixed with pale to yellowish-brown scale patches. The terminal third often has a poorly defined fascia that is often a shade darker than the antemedial fascia. Most specimens have a dark apical spot and a post-medial bar that extends from near the tornus before terminating in the subcostal region at around four-fifths the wing length. However, these are often poorly expressed on North Carolina specimens. The costa is dark-brown to blackish with a series of paired whitish striae along the apical two-thirds of the wing, while the hindwing is brown with a somewhat lighter fringe that has a narrow basal line.

Celypha cespitana is somewhat similar to Olethreutes fasciatana and Phiaris glaciana, the the latter two have white fasciae and well-defined basal and medial dark patches.

Wingspan: 11-16 mm (Heinrich, 1926).

Forewing Length: 5.5-8.0 mm (Gilligan et al., 2008).

Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) has illustrations of the male and female genitalia. The male characters include, 1) a ventral invagination of the valval neck, with a strongly spined medial margin, 2) the lateral margin of the valval neck developed into a triangular digitus with two stout setae on the medial surface, and 3) two to three rows of spines on the ventrolateral surface of the valva from the distal end of the sacculus to the mid-neck. On females, the sterigma has a raised rim surrounding the ostium and large, semirectangular, lateral extensions. The latter are deeply depressed at the rounded corners posterior to the ostium. The surface of the sterigma is densely covered with minute spinules, and the single signum is a scobinate patch.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Bennett (1961) studied the life history of this species in Tennessee where the larvae can cause significant damage to strawberry plants. Egg-laying was not observed in the field, but captive females laid an average of 37 eggs (maximum 85). The eggs were elliptical in outline and transparent, with development to hatching taking an average of 4.4 – 12 days depending on the ambient temperatures and time of year. The young larvae either roll a single leaf or bind together several leaves to form a feeding shelter. The leaves often drop to the ground where they are matted together. The larvae then feed on the dried leaves. The mature larvae have gray bodies, yellow heads and prothoracic shields, and are around 14 mm in length. Pupation occurs in the shelter and the pupal stage can last as little as 5.8 days on average for the summer broods. The larval stage lasted from 17-27 days, and the entire generation from egg to adult averaged around 32 days for the summer brood. Populations in Tennessee produced four broods per year, and overwintering occurred in the larval stage. Pupation occurred the following spring, with the adults first emerging in April.

Wehrle (1929) reported that larvae feeding on Red Clover in New York have only two generations a year. The adults were first present in June, with the second generation beginning in August. The larvae fastened leaflets together and fed within the shelter, eating holes in the leaflets. For the first generation, the egg stage lasted 10 days, the larval stage 26 days, and the pupal stage 13 days. Larvae in the second generation overwintered in a cocoon formed between the leaflets and resumed feeding with the spring warm-up. They then pupated for around 16 days, with the adults emerging throughout June.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Celypha cespitana is widespread across much of southern Canada, the eastern US, and in the western US in areas with mesic habitats. The northern limit of the range includes portions of Alaska, the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and from British Columbia eastward across southern Canada to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The range in the US includes almost all of the eastern US westward to the Rocky Mountain states of Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. It also includes portions of the Pacific Northwest and California. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina, but is relatively uncommon in the Coastal Plain.

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 April through November in different areas of the range, with the peak season during the warmer months of the year. As of 2024, our records extend from late-March through early-October, with the flight period noticeably shorter in the Blue Ridge relative to the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations can be found in a variety of habitats that include fields and meadows, road and power line corridors, semi-wooded residential neighborhoods, sandhill communities, and other open or fragmented habitats.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are apparently polyphagous, with reported hosts including Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), strawberries (Fragaria), a juniper (Juniperus), Western larch (Larix occidentalis), Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmanni), Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera), a broom grass (Spartium sp.), and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) (Heinrich, 1926; Bennett, 1961; Prentice, 1965; Bradley et al. 1979; Miller, 1987; Robinson et al., 2010; Wehrle, 1929). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

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 Celypha cespitana of authors - Celypha Moth

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-04 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-04 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-03 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin. on 2025-08-17 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin. on 2025-08-17 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-21 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-21 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-12 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-12 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Brian Bockhahn on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka and Sally Gewalt on 2025-04-29 Warren Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-07-30 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-25 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-25 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-16 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-12 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-11 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-07 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-06-03 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-05-23 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-15 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18 Caswell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18 Caswell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-06 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-25 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-06-18 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-22 Transylvania Co. Comment: