Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Chimoptesis Members:	96 NC Records

Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana (Kearfott, 1907) - Filigreed Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Olethreutinae

Tribe:
Eucosmini

P3 Number:
51a1181

MONA Number:
3273.00

Other Common Name:
Filigreed Chimoptesis

Comments: Chimoptesis is a largely neotropical genus with 25 described species, four of which occur in the US (Razowski and Becker, 2015).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Powell (1964)

Adult Markings: The following is based in part on the description by Powell (1964). The antenna is dark brown, and the crown of the head is white and contrasts with the generally dark brown remainder of the head and palps. The thorax has a mixture of whitish or greenish white and dark brown scales, and the tegulae is whitish to greenish white. The forewing ground color is blackish and often with scattered orangish-brown scales or scale patches. The most conspicuous mark is a broad white undulating band that extends from the base to the sub-tornal region that is irregularly blotched with pale green. The band has several small blackish dots along the inner margin and projects inwardly at one-fourth, near the middle of wing; and just before the tornus. The first has an arm that projects basally, while the remaining two have an arm that projects apically. The last arm is usually separated by the blackish ground from a similar colored patch that extends from the apical angle to about mid-way along the termen. The costa has a series of paired white strigulae from near the base to the apex, with the last pair the most prominent and v-shaped. The fringe is concolorous with the ground and grades to pale gray towards the tornus. The hindwing is pale gray with a concolorous fringe, and the front and middle legs are boldly marked with dark brown and white bands.

Wingspan: 15.5-17 mm (Heinrich, 1923)

Forewing Length: 7.6-8.0 mm (Powell, 1964)

Adult Structural Features: Males have a costal fold that is missing in Pseudexentera and other related genera (Heinrich, 1923). Gilligan et al. (2008), Heinrich (1923), and Powell (1964) have illustrations of the genitalia, and Powell (1964) has a general description of the genitalia for members of this genus as follows.

In males, the uncus is lacking and the posterior margin of the tegumen is either entire or with sclerotized projections at the posterior bases of the socii. The tegumen is broadly rounded, with the inner face bearing two elongated projections that are directed anteriorly. The socii are large, well developed, and broad from the base. The gnathos is reduced and very weakly sclerotized and the valve is simple. The cucullus is well defined, is densely hairy anteriorly, and has dense, short, strong spines posteriorly. The neck is rather strongly constricted and lacks well-developed spines or hair clusters. The clasper is lacking and the aedeagus is simple, straight, and stout. Powell (1964) noted that the tegumen of C. pennsylvaniana lacks posterior projections except rudimentary bumps at the the posterior bases of socii, the latter being rather rectangular, with conspicuous, posteriorly directed brushes of stiff setae. The cucullus is also well developed and elongated.

In females, the papillae anales are simple, rotated 90° outward, and densely clothed with elongate setae exteriorly. The sclerotized portion of segments IX and X are either produced into a lobe dorsad or are simple. The posterior apophyses is short and stout, and segment VIII is narrowly sclerotized on the dorsal half with a pair of small projections of the sclerotized band cephalad. The sterigma is fused with sternite VII, sclerotized, and extends laterally into arms that are angling cephalad. The ductus bursae is narrow, simple, and either looped or with a twist just before the corpus bursae. The signa is narrow, rounded and thorn-like, and the surface of the corpus bursae is densely covered with unpigmented spiculae.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana is broadly distributed across much of the eastern US, with records extending from Massachusetts southward to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina.

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 December through May in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak in most areas in March and April. As of 2022, we have records from mid-February through early April.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally associated with hardwood or mixed conifer-hardwood forests with oaks. We have records ranging from maritime forests to mesic forests in the Blue Ridge.

Larval Host Plants: The only known hosts are oaks, including Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) and Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra; Robinson et al., 2010). 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: GNR S4-S5

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: This species is widespread and locally common in North Carolina and appears to be secure.

Photo Gallery for Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana - Filigreed Moth

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-28 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-23 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-23 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-19 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-03-19 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall on 2025-03-15 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-03-12 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-03-12 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-03-11 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-03-11 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-02-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-02-26 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-02-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-02-25 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-02-25 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-01 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-03-30 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-03-21 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-10 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-03-10 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-03-07 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-03-07 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-03-05 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-03-05 Davidson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-03-05 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-03-04 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-03-03 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2024-03-03 Wake Co. Comment: