Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha): Choose a Family

Home

View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Pandemis Members:	124 NC Records

Pandemis lamprosana (Robinson, 1869) - Woodgrain Leafroller Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Tortricinae

Tribe:
Archipini

P3 Number:
51a0248

MONA Number:
3593.00

Comments: The genus Pandemis includes around 67 described species worldwide, including four native and two introduced species in North America. Our four native species are very closely related and their status as being valid species has been questioned. Recent molecular and phylogenetic studies by Dombroskie and Sperling (2012) provide support for continuing to recognize all four lineages as species. We have only two species in North Carolina that are easily distinguished by both maculation and genitalia.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Robinson (1869)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: MacKay (1962).

Adult Markings: The following is mostly based on the description by Robinson (1869). The head, palps, antennae, and thorax are pale brown. The ground color of the forewing is light cinnamon brown and is overlain with three darker brown patches or bands. These include a basal patch that covers one third of the forewing, a broad, posteriorly oblique median band, and a small subapical patch on the costa. The outer margin of the basal patch and both margins of the median band are bounded by narrow pale lines, but the subapical patch is not. The latter extends only a short distance inward from the costa and ends in a more-or-less smudged, indistinct point on its inner side. The fringe is brown, while the hindwing is white to light gray with a concolorous fringe. This species is very similar to Pandemis limitata and is best distinguished by the subapical patch, which has a narrow pale line around the margin (lacking in P. lamprosana). In addition, P. lamprosana has a uniformly white to light gray hindwing, versus a two-toned gray and white hindwing for P. limitata.

Wingspan: 19-22 mm for males and 18-28 mm for females (Chapman and Lienk, 1971; Freeman, 1958).

Forewing Length: 8.0-10.5 mm for males and 9.5-12.0 mm for females (Chapman and Lienk, 1971; Gilligan and Epstein; TortAI).

Adult Structural Features: Gilligan and Epstein (TortAI) and Freeman (1958) have images of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: Chapman and Lienk (1971) and Gilligan and Epstein (TortAI) provide a summary of the life cycle as follows based on studies in New York where populations are univoltine. The adults emerge in early summer and the females lay large masses of eggs on the upper surfaces of leaves of the host plants. The young larvae feed on leaves through the third instar, then construct hibernacula in protected sites and overwinter until the following spring. They resume feeding in the spring and do not complete development until June or mid-July in northern localities. Pupation occurs in the final larval feeding site, and the adult emerged within 2-3 weeks. The late instar larvae are approximately 20 mm in length and are entirely green and unmarked with moderately large pinacula and long setae. Earlier instars may have a dark lateral mark on each side of the prothoracic shield. The larvae are indistinguishable from those of several other Pandemis and require rearing to determine the species.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Pandemis lamprosana is broadly distributed across much of the eastern and central US, and in adjoining regions of southern Canada from Manitoba eastward to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In the US the range extends from Maine and other New England states southward to South Carolina and Georgia, and westward to Mississippi, central Oklahoma, Missouri, eastern Nebraska, Minnesota, and eastern North Dakota. Populations tend to be absent or underrepresented in much of the southeastern Coastal Plain. As of 2022, all of our records are from the Piedmont and Blue Ridge.

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 May through October in different areas of the range, with the peak flights occurring from June though September. As of 2023, our records extend from late-April through early October. Many local populations are univoltine throughout the range (Chapman and Lienk, 1971), but some populations in North Carolina appear to produce both a spring and late summer brood.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally associated with mesic hardwood or mixed conifer-hardwood forests.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous and feed on a taxonomically diverse group of deciduous trees and shrubs (Freeman, 1958; Schaffner, 1959; MacKay, 1962; Prentice, 1966; Godfrey et al., 1987; Wagner et al., 1995; Robinson et al., 2010; Gilligan and Epstein, 2014). The known hosts include Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Silver Maple (A. saccharinum), Sugar Maple (A. saccharum), Mountain Maple (A. spicatum), Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Paper Birch (B. papyrifera), American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), American Ash (Fraxinus americana), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), American Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana),Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea), Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), Sassafras (Sassafras albidum), American Basswood (Tilia americana), American Elm (Ulmus americana), Slippery Elm (U. rubra), and Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). The larvae are also found in apple orchards. - 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 common in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge and appears to be secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Pandemis lamprosana - Woodgrain Leafroller Moth

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

	Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2025-09-19 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-09-05 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Marilyn Westphal on 2025-08-29 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Marilyn Westphal, Nora Murdock on 2025-08-25 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Marilyn Westphal, Nora Murdock on 2025-08-25 Rutherford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-16 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-14 Ashe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-11 Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-29 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2025-07-03 Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25 Mitchell Co. Comment: Specimen was dissected.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25 Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-06-21 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-08 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-06-05 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-01 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-01 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2024-09-07 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-09-03 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-27 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-25 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-08-07 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06 Mitchell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-03 Madison Co. Comment: