Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Cenopis Members:	43 NC Records

Cenopis directana (Walker, 1863) - Chokecherry Leafroller Moth

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Tortricinae

Tribe:
Sparganothini

P3 Number:
51a0425

MONA Number:
3722.00

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.

Species Status: This appears to be a species complex involving one or more undescribed species (see examples of variation in genitalia below).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Powell and Brown (2012)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: MacKay (1962)

Adult Markings: Cenopis directana exhibits marked phenotypic variation that reflects individual variation, sexual dimorphism, and geographic variation across its broad range (Powell and Brown, 2012). The head, palps, and fore part of the thorax are orange to rusty-brown and the palp often has a tiny white tip. The forewing ground color ranges from cream tan to pale orangish-brown and is reticulated or striated with faint, darker orangish-brown. The reticulations may cover the entire wing or be restricted to the apical one-fourth of the wing. Specimens in the eastern US typically have a pale rusty-red to dark rusty-red ground color that is overlain with purplish-brown patterning. Male often have a distinct, purplish-brown, outwardly directed, median fascia. The fascia is triangular-shaped and widest on the costa, and narrows as it projects to the middle of the dorsal margin. A faint costal patch is also present at around three-fourths that often has lighter spots within. Males can vary from being well marked to showing varying degrees of indistinctness, including individuals that show only a trace of the dark pattern. Females usually have dark rusty-brown forewings with only a faint, shining purplish indication of the male forewing. The hindwing is pale tan to rust tan.

In addition to the typical form described above, a pale variant occurs in North Carolina and elsewhere in the eastern US where the males have a whitish to tan or pale-ocherous forewing. The forewing has rusty- or purplish-brown maculation in the same pattern as the typical race described above, but it is expressed consistently and strongly (Powell and Brown, 2012). Females are golden tan and either have a thin, faint pattern like that of the males, or have the pattern reduced to a trace. The hindwing is whitish to pale brown and averages darker in females. The male forewing costal fold is well developed and extends about 0.17 the length of the forewing.

Wingspan: 18-22 mm for males and 20.5-24 mm for females (Chapman and Lienk, 1971).

Forewing Length: 8.5 mm for males and 8.0–10.0 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: Most of the life history observations are from Chapman and Lienk's (1971) studies in New York apple orchards. Choke Cherry appears to be the primary host in the region, but apples are also use, particularly where Choke Cherry grows nearby. Populations are univoltine and females lay clusters of eggs on the stems of Choke Cherry and presumably other vegetation during the summer months. The eggs overwinter and hatch in May. The larvae are leaf rollers that construct shelters by folding and binding leaves, particularly the tender new growth. In New York, the larvae are usually fully grown by June and pupate within the leaf shelters. The pupal stage lasts about 10 days. Marquis et al. (2019) noted that this species is an early season leaf roller on oaks in Missouri, but is also a pest in orchards. The older instars in Missouri have a head capsule that is usually completely shiny black with a contrasting genal dash, while the prothoracic shield is brownish black with a white anterior edge or dark posterior margin. The dorsum is olive green with a contrasting white subdorsal stripe, and the anal shield is white and contrasting.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Cenopis directana is broadly distributed across much of southern Canada. In the US it is found in northern California and from the Rocky Mountains eastward to the Atlantic Coast. Populations occur in Canada from Alberta eastward to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. In the US the range extends from Maine to southern Florida, and westward to southeastern Texas, central Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, and Montana, with a disjunct in northern California. We have scattered records from all three physiographic regions of 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
Immature 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 almost every month of the year in different areas of the range, but most commonly fly from April through August. As of 2023, our records extends from late May through early August. North Carolina populations are univoltine.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are typically found in or near hardwood forests, along forest edges, and in early successional habitats. Many of our records are from mesic forests, but also from coastal dune habitats and semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous and feed primarily on trees and shrubs (McDunnough, 1933; MacKay, 1962; Prentice, 1966; Godfrey et al., 1987; Wagner et al., 1995; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Powell and Brown, 2012; Marquis et al., 2019). Choke Cherry is an important host in northern populations, but many other species are used. The reported hosts include Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), White Birch (Betula populifolia), hickories (Carya), Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), cotton (Gossypium), walnuts (Juglans), apples (Malus domestica), Western Choke Cherry (Prunus emarginata), Fire Cherry (P. pensylvanica), Choke Cherry (P. virginiana), White Oak (Quercus alba), Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), Post Oak (Q. stellata), Black Oak (Q. velutina), Hillside Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), and grapes (Vitis). We have one feeding record in North Carolina for Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora). - 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: We have records for scattered populations across the state, but more information is needed on host use, distribution and abundance before we can accurately assess the conservation status of this species.

Photo Gallery for Cenopis directana - Chokecherry Leafroller Moth

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

	Recorded by: David George on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Joye Zhou on 2025-06-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-19 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-06-11 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-06-11 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-02 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-07-17 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-29 Rowan Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15 Scotland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30 Swain Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29 Swain Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-17 New Hanover Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Erich Hofmann, Jesse Anderson on 2023-05-22 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21 New Hanover Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-03 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-29 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-06-21 Caswell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-08-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-22 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-19 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-15 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-01 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-01 Madison Co. Comment: