Moths of North Carolina
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Retinia Members:
10 NC Records

Retinia houseri (Miller, 1959) - Minute Pitch-blister Moth

Retinia houseriRetinia houseri
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 51a0732 MONA Number: 2902.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Miller (1959)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on that of Miller's (1959) original description of material from Ohio. The labial palp is white and the head dirty white except for dark gray scales around the antenna base, along with a poorly defined bar of dark gray across the front of the head just above the antennal bases (often greatly reduced). The collar and patagium are dark gray with white-tipped scales, while the thorax has dark gray scales that are tipped with white. The legs are gray with white bands, and the abdomen is dark gray above and beneath with dirty white along the sides.

The patterning of the forewing is variable, but generally consists of a mosaic of irregular, transverse dirty white and dark brown lines, along with dark brown patches. There are often two or three light lines that extend from the costa to the dorsal margin near the mid-wing and that are preceded by a darker antemedian region. A dark, rectangular patch is often evident at three-fourths that extends from the dorsal margin before ending near the middle of the wing. One or two smaller costal patches are sometime present on the apical half of the wing. The fringe is grayish to brown with white-tipped scales and often has a thin, dark marginal line. The hindwing is dark brown with a light gray fringe.

Retinia houseri is a relatively small species, with the wingspan of the type series males and females averaging 13.4 mm and 15.2 mm, respectively. This species might be confuse with R. gemistrigulana, but it is grayer, has a series of fine, transverse black lines on the forewing, and has a wingspan of 19-21 mm.
Wingspan: 13.4 mm and 15.2 mm on average for males and females (Miller, 1959)
Adult Structural Features: Miller (1959) has illustrations of some of the important features of the genitalia.
Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on current-year stems on pines and make blister-like pitch nodules that are constructed from silk, frass, and resin (Miller and Neiswander, 1956). The life cycle is univoltine and the adults are present in June in Ohio.
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)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come from savannas and sandhills in the Coastal Plain and both upland and bottomland sites in the Piedmont.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae and their associated resin nodules have been found on Shortleaf Pine (Brown et al., 2008; Miller and Neiswander 1955, 1956), but other pines are probably used. At some of the Coastal Plain sites in North Carolina where this species has been recorded, Shortleaf Pine is absent and the more likely hosts are Longleaf Pine or Pond Pine. Loblolly Pine seems the most likely host at one bottomland site in the Piedmont. - View
Observation Methods: The adults occasionally visit lights and the resinous nodules can be found on the young stems of pines.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Pine Forests and Woodlands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S5
State Protection:
Comments: As of 2022 we have only six site records for this species, which suggests that is uncommon within the state.

 Photo Gallery for Retinia houseri - Minute Pitch-blister Moth

Photos: 3

Recorded by: Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-06-29
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-07-15
Chatham Co.
Comment: