Moths of North Carolina
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Philonome Members:
53 NC Records

Philonome clemensella Chambers, 1874 - No Common Name


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Taxonomy
Family: TineidaeP3 Number: 300220.00 MONA Number: 462.00
Comments: The New World genus Philonome comprises twelve species, with three described species in North America. This genus was previously associated with Bucculatricidae or Lyonetiidae, but was reassigned to Tineidae by Sohn et al. (2015) based on morphological and molecular evidence.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Sohn et al. (2015)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based in part on the description in Forbes (1923) and Sohn et al. (2015). The palps and face are white, and the eye-caps white with orange on the upper edge. The antenna is reddish orange to reddish brown at the base, and the remainder nearly white. The scales on the vertex are orange and the thorax is white, with a broad pale orange to dark brown area behind. The ground color of the forewing is reddish orange to reddish brown. A broad, white streak that gradually angles away from the costa extends from the wing base to about the mid-length of the wing. A second streak extends along the inner margin from the thorax to where it meets a small tuft of brown scales, then angles obliquely to join the tip of the first streak. At the distal third of the wing there is an oblique and slightly curved costal streak that extends posteriorly. This streak appears as a broad, triangular mark at the costa and narrows posteriorly before terminating at a small patch of dark scales. Two small white spots are also usually evident, one on the inner margin near the base of the dorsal cilia, and the second just below the apex. The apex and cilia are dusted with dark brown scales to varying degrees. There are usually one or two dark lines through the orangish white cilia, one at the base, and a more conspicuous one near the middle of the cilia.
Forewing Length: 2.8–4.4 mm (Sohn et al., 2015)
Adult Structural Features: Sohn et al. (2015) provide descriptions and illustrations of the genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Although P. clemensella appears regularly at lights, its larval life history has been undocumented for decades. This species was once assigned to the family Lyonetiidae, which consists of species that are leafminers. However, DNA analysis placed P. clemensella in the Tineidae. Jim Petranka recently reared a larva that was found within a large black knot on a Black Cherry tree. The inside of the knot was riddled with fecal material, chewed wood and bore holes that may have been made by beetle larvae. A portion of the knot with the larva was removed, and an adult emerged about five weeks later. The larva presumably fed on organic material within the knot. At present, it is currently uncertain to what extent this species is restricted to using black knots as habitats and feeding sites.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Philonome clemensella is found in eastern North America in Canada (Ontario; Quebec) and in most of the eastern US. In the US it occurs from Vermont and New Hampshire westward to Wisconsin and Oklahoma, and southward to the Gulf Coast and eastern Texas. We have records from throughout the state, from the lower elevations in the mountains to near the coast.
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: Local populations appear to be univoltine. Specimens have been found from March through November in different areas of the range, with a peak in June and July. As of 2020, our records extend from May through August, with a peak in June and July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitat is poorly documented, but populations appear to be affiliated with hardwood forests. Most of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are uncertain and the larval ecology is undocumented. Robinson et al. (2012) and Forbes (1923) reported the hosts as Walnut (Juglans), hickories (Carya) and Basswood (Tilia americana), but these are based on label data in the USNM collection. The collection also includes a specimen whose label data states that it came from oak (Quercus). The labels give no details other than plant common names. Therefore, it is not clear if these records refer to larval host plants or where the adults were collected. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights, but are easily overlooked because of their small size.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests
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: It is uncertain whether this species is strongly attracted to lights, but the available records (N = 19 as of 2020) suggests that the species is not significantly threatened in the state.

 Photo Gallery for Philonome clemensella - No common name

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

Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-07
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-19
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-07-14
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-10
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-09
Madison Co.
Comment: An adult that was reared from a black knot on Black Cherry (see accompanying photo of the black knot). The larva was found about 1/2 inch within the knot in woody material that was full of bore holes and frass that appear to have been made by boring beetles. A piece of knot with the larva was removed and the adult emerged after 5 weeks.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-09
Madison Co.
Comment: A view of a black knot on Black Cherry that contained a larva. The woody material in the knot was full of bore holes and frass that appear to have been made by boring beetles. A piece of knot with the larva was removed and the adult emerged after 5 weeks (see accompanying photo of the adult).
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2023-05-14
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2022-09-02
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan on 2022-08-28
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-08-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-08-07
Watauga Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-05
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-03
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-01
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-21
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-14
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-14
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-14
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-12
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-05
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-05
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-05
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-30
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-05-29
Sampson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-05-25
Orange Co.
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