Moths of North Carolina
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106 NC Records

Cenopis reticulatana (Clemens, 1860) - Reticulated Fruitworm Moth

Cenopis reticulatanaCenopis reticulatanaCenopis reticulatanaCenopis reticulatana
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: TortricinaeTribe: SparganothiniP3 Number: 51a0419 MONA Number: 3720.00
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: Covell (1984; as Sparganothis reticulatana); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Powell and Brown (2012)Technical Description, Immature Stages: MacKay (1962); Powell and Brown (2012)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is mostly based on that of Powell and Brown (2012). The head, palps, and thorax are pale to rusty yellow. The ground color of the forewing is pale yellow and is evenly reticulated with orange or yellow orange throughout. The ground is overlain by two darker, diagonal, purplish-brown lines. The first extends from the costa at about one-third the distance from the base to the apex and terminates in a triangular patch in the distal one-third to one-half of the dorsal margin. The second extends from an irregularly rectangular costal patch at about two-thirds. It often has two branches, with one projecting towards the triangular patch on the dorsal margin, and the second towards the subtornal region of the dorsal margin. Both branches often terminate before reaching the triangular patch or subtornal dorsal margin. The purplish-brown patches and lines usually have orangish spots within. In addition to the marks described above, specimens often have one or two thin purplish-brown lines in the subterminal region near the termen. Females are similar to males, but typically have denser reticulations that give them a much darker look. The male costal fold of the forewing is well developed and extends about 0.15 the length of the forewing.
Forewing Length: 7.0–10.0 mm for males and 8.5–10.5 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.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on a variety of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants but the only information on the larval life history is based on limited observations by Chapman and Lienk's (1971) of larvae on cultivated apples in New York. They observed late-instar larvae in June that were in folded leaves. The larvae were presumed to be from mid-instar larvae that overwintered. The larvae pupated in folded leaves and the adults emerged in about two weeks. Populations in New York and vicinity appeared to be univoltine with the larvae that hatch in the summer probably overwintering in ground litter.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Cenopis reticulatana is found across much of southern Canada and the US from the Rocky Mountains eastward to the Atlantic Coast. Populations in Canada occur from the Northwest Territories and British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In the US, populations have been found from Maine to central Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, central Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Montana. This species reaches its greatest abundance east of the Mississippi, and occurs statewide in North Carolina except at high-elevation sites 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 have been observed during every month of the year in different areas of the range, but are generally most active from May through September. As of 2023, our records extend from early May through late August and local populations appear to be univoltine.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are commonly found in hardwood or mixed hardwood-conifer forests, as well as forest borders and openings, and residential neighborhoods.
Larval Host Plants: This species is highly polyphagous and feeds on a variety of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants (Schaffner, 1959; Prentice, 1966; Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Powell and Brown, 2012), The reported hosts include maples (Acer), aster (Aster), thistle (Cirsium), Gray Alder (Alnus incana), Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), White Birch (Betula populifolia), goosefoots (Chenopodium), Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Ramshead Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium arietinum), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), White Ash (Fraxinus americana), geraniums (Geranium), Cream Avens (Geum virginianum), Common Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), bayberries (Morella), apple (Malus domestica), oaks (Quercus), Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata), Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium), Pin Cherry (P. pensylvanica), Chokecherry (P. virginiana), brambles (Rubus), Narrowleaf Meadowsweet (Spiraea alba), Hillside Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), vervain (Verbena), viburnums (Viburnum), and grapes (Vitis). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5
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 common in North Carolina and apparently secure.

 Photo Gallery for Cenopis reticulatana - Reticulated Fruitworm Moth

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-13
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-04
Mitchell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-31
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-07-07
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-04
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-06-29
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-25
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-18
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-17
Lincoln Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-23
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-08-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-18
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Macon Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-31
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-31
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-23
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-22
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-22
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-19
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-07
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-06
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-04
Orange Co.
Comment: