Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Cenopis Members:	57 NC Records

Cenopis diluticostana (Walsingham, 1879) - Spring Dead-leaf Roller Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Tortricinae

Tribe:
Sparganothini

P3 Number:
51a0423

MONA Number:
3716.00

Other Common Name:
Oak Cenopis

Comments: The genus Cenopis has 19 described species. Seventeen of these are restricted to North America, and all 17 occur in the eastern United States (Brown and Sullivan, 2018). Males of Cenopis are easily distinguished from those of Sparganothis by the presence of complex scaling on the frons of the head that forms an unusual “hood” of scales. The males also have a deeply invaginated or folded anal area of the hindwing that bears a distinctive hair pencil.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Powell and Brown (2012)

Adult Markings: This species is rather distinctive due to its relatively small size and forewing color and patterning. The following description is mostly based on that of Powell and Brown (2012). The head, palps, and antennae are purplish-brown, while the thorax is chestnut brown with the anterior margin purplish-brown. The forewing ground color is variable, but is usually light brown to dark chestnut brown, with lighter coloration often evident on the basal two-thirds of the costal region, particularly in males. There are typically two broad, well-defined, purplish-brown fascia (sometimes interrupted) that extend from the costa to the inner margin. The first is about one-third to one-half the distance from the base to the apex, and the second about three-fifths to four-fifths the distance from the base to the apex. The scales are often white-tipped in fresh specimens and can produce a frosted appearance in some instances. The termen often has a thin dark purplish-brown band that is concolorous with the fasciae, while the extreme base of the costa has a thin purplish-brown line that joins a similar line of scales on the anterior margin of the thorax. The fringe tends to be concolorous with the ground, while the hindwing is grayish-brown to rusty-brown with a concolorous fringe. The female forewing pattern is similar to that of the male, except it is evenly overscaled with iridescent brick red, which may obscure the pattern elements.

Forewing Length: 6.0–7.0 mm for males and 6.5–7.5 mm for females (Powell and Brown, 2012).

Adult Structural Features: Powell and Brown (2012) have illustrations and detailed descriptions of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on a variety of trees and shrubs but the only information on the larval life history is based on Chapman and Lienk's (1971) study of larvae on cultivated apples in New York. When feeding on apples the larvae construct shelters either by rolling a dead leaf or by binding fragments of dead leaves and flower buds together. They occasionally roll or fold the edge of a living leaf. Chapman and Lienk (1971) observed full grown larvae in June, with adults appearing shortly thereafter. They surmised that the larvae overwinter as second or third instar individuals, then resume feeding in the spring. The full-grown larvae are pale green with a reddish head and about 13 mm long. Populations in New York are univoltine, which appears to be typical for local populations in other areas of the range, including North Carolina.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Cenopis diluticostana is found throughout most of the US, and in Ontario and Quebec. The range in the US extends from Maine and other New England states southward to southern Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, central Kansas, central Nebraska, Minnesota, and eastern North Dakota. This species occurs essentially statewide in North Carolina, but is uncommon and restricted to lower elevations in the 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 fly from March through October in most areas of the range, with a seasonal peak from April through August. Local populations in North Carolina have a relatively short flight season and are univoltine. As of 2023, our records extend from mid-May through early July.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally associated with hardwood or mixed conifer-hardwood forests, along with forest edges and semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous and feed on a variety of hardwood trees and shrubs (Godfrey et al., 1987; Wagner et al., 1995; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Powell and Brown, 2012; Marquis et al., 2019). The reported hosts include White Birch (Betula populifolia), hawthorns (Crataegus), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), White Ash (Fraxinus americana), cultivated apples (Malus domestica), Sweet Mock-orange (Philadelphus coronarius), Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) and cultivated cherries, Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), lilac (Syringa), and Northern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). In North Carolina, one larva has been found on Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

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: Cenopis diluticostana appears to be moderately common in the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont. More information is needed on its host use, preferred habitats, and abundance before we can accurately assess its conservation status within the state.

Photo Gallery for Cenopis diluticostana - Spring Dead-leaf Roller Moth

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

	Recorded by: David George, David Cheng, Patrick Coin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-14 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-01 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-31 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-16 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-16 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-05-13 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-09 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-18 Lincoln Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-06-17 Lincoln Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-06-16 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Patrick Coin, Mark Basinger on 2024-06-16 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-27 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-26 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-25 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-05-24 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-24 New Hanover Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-05-12 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-05-10 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2024-04-17 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Rich Teper on 2024-04-17 New Hanover Co. Comment: in leaf tie on Turkey oak, Quercus laevis. Adult reared (2024-05-24)		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-21 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-17 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-06-06 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22 New Hanover Co. Comment: