Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Amorbia Members:	105 NC Records

Amorbia humerosana Clemens, 1860 - White-line Leafroller Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Tortricinae

Tribe:
Sparganothini

P3 Number:
51a0374

MONA Number:
3748.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); 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 easy to distinguish based on its very large size (the largest tortricine in the eastern United States) and its overall grayish coloration. The following description is based primarily on that of Powell and Brown (2012). The head and palps are grayish to grayish-brown, while the flagellum of the antenna is grayish to grayish brown with a whitish base. The forewing pattern and hues of gray are variable across the range, but most specimens have a light gray ground color that is overlain with a large dark gray to orangish-gray triangular mark that extends inward to near the middle of the wing. The base of the mark usually extends from around one-third the distance from the wing base to the apex. Specimens sometimes have the mark poorly expressed or broken into several smaller blotches. Most specimens also have an orangish wash along the inner margin that extends from near the base to the subtornal region. The entire wing in overlain by numerous dark brown to blackish specks, and the hindwing is brown with a paler fringe.

Wingspan: 2.1 - 3 cm (Covell, 1984)

Forewing Length: 10.5–16.0 mm (Powell and Brown, 2012)

Adult Structural Features: Powell and Brown (2012) have illustrations and descriptions of the genitalia. Also, see below.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae are polyphagous leaf-rollers or leaftiers that feed mostly on woody plants. Before the invention of modern pesticides, they often caused significant damage to apple crops (up to 80% loss of some varieties in Pennsylvania; Frost, 1926). The life history information below is based on studies in apple orchards in Pennsylvania and New York (Frost, 1926; Chapman and Lienk, 1971). At these sites overwintering occurs in the pupal stage within a fallen leaf and the adults emerge after the spring leaf-out in May and June. Females lay their eggs in patches of around 65 eggs on the upper surfaces of leaves and the eggs hatch in 2-3 weeks. The larvae either fold or bind leaves together or bind a leaf to a developing fruit and feed superficially on the fruit. The larvae grow slowly and require 2-3 months to reach the final instar. Pupation typically occurs by September within a folded leaf, and the pupa enters diapause until the spring warm-up. A larva that was found in Madison County produced a tubular shelter or sorts by binding together numerous leaflets of a Mimosa tree. A second one tied two blueberry leaves together to form a shelter.

The mature larvae is greenish with an amber-colored head above and may exceed 30 mm in length. A dark line on the front of the head helps to delineate a conspicuous white horizontal stripe (the basis for the common name). The thorax is lighter colored than the head and has a dark line on the lateral edge (Chapman and Lienk, 1971).

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Amorbia humerosana is found throughout much of the eastern US and in Canada from British Columbia and Alberta eastward to Nova Scotia. In the US the range extends from Maine southward to southern Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. An apparent isolate is present in northeastern North Dakota. This species is found statewide in North Carolina, but is relatively uncommon in the Coastal Plain and higher 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
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: Populations appear to be univoltine through the range, with the possible exception of Florida. The adults have been observed during most months of the year in different areas of the range, but most local populations fly for a two to three month period following the spring leaf-out. As of 2023, our records extend from late March through mid-June, with the exception of one late season record from late-August in the Blue Ridge.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are generally associated with conifer, mixed conifer-hardwood, or hardwood forests, as well as forest edges and residential neighborhoods. The habitats that are used in North Carolina include spruce-fir forests, mesic cove forests and slopes, oak-hickory and mixed pine-oak forests in the Piedmont, and bottomland forests in the Coastal Plain. Many of our records are also from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous leaf-rollers that feed mostly on trees and shrubs, including both conifers and hardwoods (Frost, 1926; Schaffner, 1959; MacKay, 1962; Prentice, 1966; Chapman and Lienk, 1971; Baker, 1972; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Beadle & Leckie, 2012; Powell and Brown, 2012; Eiseman, 2024). Conifers generally tend to be used more often at northern latitudes. The reported hosts include Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea), alders (Alnus), Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), hawthorns (Crataegus), ashes (Fraxinus), huckleberries (Gaylussacia), Tamarack (Larix laricina), Butter-and-eggs (Linaria vulgaris), Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), honeysuckle (Lonicera), domesticated apples (Malus domestica), bayberries (Myrica), Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboretum), White Spruce (Picea glauca), Red Spruce (P. rubens), Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana), White Pine (P. strobus), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Fire Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica), oaks (Quercus), Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina), willows (Salix), Sassafras (Sassafras albidum), goldenrods (Solidago), Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis), Poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), American Elm (Ulmus americana), blueberries (Vaccinium), and Arrow-wood (Viburnum dentatum). As of 2024, our only feeding records for North Carolina are for Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) and a commercial blueberry (Vaccinium sp.). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands

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: Amorbia humerosana is relatively common in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont where populations appear to be secure.

Photo Gallery for Amorbia humerosana - White-line Leafroller Moth

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

	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-05-18 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-12 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-05-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-04-27 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Patrick Coin on 2025-04-15 Chatham Co. Comment: reared from larva 2024-07-27		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Patrick Coin on 2025-04-15 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-02 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-28 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-03-28 Madison Co. Comment: Male genitalia.		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Patrick Coin on 2024-07-27 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George, Patrick Coin on 2024-07-27 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-16 Madison Co. Comment: Adult was reared.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-16 Madison Co. Comment: A leaf tie on a cultivated blueberry that contained a single larva (see companion photo).		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-11 Madison Co. Comment: Adult was reared.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-11 Madison Co. Comment: Adult was reared.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-20 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-14 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-14 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-13 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-11 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-29 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-29 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-25 Madison Co. Comment: