Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFTortricidae Members: Argyrotaenia Members: 81 NC Records

Argyrotaenia alisellana (Robinson, 1869) - White-spotted Leafroller Moth

Argyrotaenia alisellanaArgyrotaenia alisellanaArgyrotaenia alisellanaArgyrotaenia alisellana
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Tortricoidea		 Family:
Tortricidae		Subfamily:
Tortricinae		Tribe:
Archipini		P3 Number:
51a0283		 MONA Number:
3624.00
Comments: The genus Argyrotaenia contains approximately 100 described species, with most occurring in Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Thirty-six species are currently recognized in North America.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a boldly marked Argyrotaenia that is difficult to confuse with any other species. The palps, head, and thorax are mostly white and the antenna amber-colored. The forewing has a whitish ground color that is overlain with a large reddish-brown blotch and radiating extensions that cover most of the wing. The main blotch has two primary extensions that extend to the costa as thick bars. They meet the costa at around one-fourth and three-fourth to create a semicircular white costal patch at around one-half. Thinner lines extend forward towards the wing base and rearward to the subapical region, where the latter produce an anastomosing pattern that creates two large, whitish ovals in the subterminal region. The hindwing is white, as is the fringe on the forewing.
Adult Structural Features: See images below.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are leaf rollers on oaks, but details information of their larval life history is lacking.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Argyrotaenia alisellana is an oak specialist and is broadly distributed across eastern North America in areas where hardwood forests and oaks prevail. The range includes portions of southern Canada (Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba) and much of the eastern US from Maine westward to Minnesota and southward to eastern Texas. From there the range extends eastward through the Gulf States to northern Florida. Populations are scarce in many areas of the Coastal Plain where pines predominate. This species occurs in all three physiographic provinces in North Carolina, but is far less common in the Coastal Plain relative to the Piedmont and Blue Ridge.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Argyrotaenia alisellanaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: The adults have been observed from April-October in different areas of the range, with a strong seasonal peak in May and June. Local populations in North Carolina are univoltine, with the adults flying from early May through mid-June.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are associated with hardwood or mixed hardwood forests where oaks are well-represented. They are also commonly found in semi-wooded residential settings where oaks are present.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae appear to specialize on oaks (Freeman, 1958; Prentice, 1966; Covell, 1984; Brown et al., 2008; Robinson et al., 2010; Lam et al., 2011; Marquis et al., 2019). The reported hosts include White Oak (Quercus alba), Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra) and Black Oak (Q. velutina). In North Carolina, larvae have been observed feeding on the non-native Bur Oak, but likely use various species of native oaks as their primary hosts. - View
Observation Methods: Almost all of our observations are based on adults that are attracted to lights. Observations on larval host use are needed for North Carolina populations.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Argyrotaenia alisellana - White-spotted Leafroller Moth

 78 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-08
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2025-05-26
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-03
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2024-06-19
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-16
Madison Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-27
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-05-26
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-20
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-19
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-12
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-12
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Stephen Hall, David George, and David Bradley on 2024-05-07
Durham Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-06-25
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-06
Alleghany Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-01
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-25
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-05-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-05-21
Orange Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-05-17
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-05-15
Orange Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-05-12
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Dean Furbish and Joy Wiggins on 2023-05-10
Wake Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-05-08
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-28
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Argyrotaenia alisellana
Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-05-28
Orange Co.
Comment: