Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFBucculatricidae Members:
Bucculatrix Members:
2 NC Records

Bucculatrix locuples Meyrick, 1919 - No Common Name

Bucculatrix locuples
Taxonomy
Family: BucculatricidaeP3 Number: 33a0091 MONA Number: 571.00
Comments: Bucculatrix is a large genus of small leaf-mining moths, with around 300 species worldwide. A total of 103 Nearctic species have been described, and many others will likely be described in the future. Braun (1963) covered 99 species in her monograph, and four additional Nearctic species have been described since then.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a tiny black moth with a conspicuous dark head tuft, along with two costal and two dorsal spots. The following detailed description is based on that of Braun (1963). The face is lustrous pale ocherous, and the tuft dark reddish brown to rarely paler. The eye-cap is pale ocherous, while the antennal stalk is dark fuscous with broad whitish annulations in the outer half. The thorax is reddish black. The forewings is black with lustrous pale golden spots (short streaks). Along the costa there is a triangular oblique spot before one-half the wing length, and a slightly less oblique spot at about two-thirds. Just before the middle of the inner margin, there is a triangular spot that reaches to the fold or beyond and is bordered outwardly by a large patch of black raised scales. At the tornus there is a second triangular spot. The cilia are gray, with a line of black-tipped narrow scales extending from the costa before the apex to the tornus. The hindwing is speckled with dark fuscous and the cilia are concolorous. The posterior tibia, except for the hairs, is yellowish silvery. The first tarsal segment is blackish, and the remaining segments silvery, with darker tips. The abdomen is dark bronzy fuscous above.
Wingspan: 6-7 mm (Braun, 1963)
Adult Structural Features: The male and female genitalia, along with associated scale tufts and patches, are distinctive and are described and illustrated by Braun (1963). The following are her verbatim descriptions. Males: male genitalia in general agreeing structurally with the section characters, but differing in appearance and with some notable specializations; harpes elongate, narrow, tapering to the acute concave curved apices, median setae long, apical short, the basal process strong, curved, sclerotized, more or less fused with vinculum; the costal free arms of harpes stout and sinuate; socii oval, concave, setose; anellus cylindric; aedeagus long, tapering to a sharp point, aperture elongate, nearly half the length of the aedeagus, with a long slender spine arising from its anterior angle; vinculum sclerotized, produced anteriorly into an acute angle. Scale sac absent. Females: dorsal and ventral margins of segment 7 fringed with very long slender dark-pigmented scales; on the intersegmental membrane ventral to ostium, a narrow transverse sclerotized irregular line; margins of ostium sclerotized and produced posteriorly; from membrane within ventral margin of ostium, a free pouch-like invagination; signum the usual ring, very narrow dorsally, the ribs strongly sclerotized, spines acute. Braun (1963) noted that the genitalia of both sexes is scarcely distinguishable from those of the European B. cidarella Zeller, which is also an alder feeder. Although the marks of the forewings of B. locuples are identical, their brilliant golden luster separates B. locuples from B. cidarella.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The following life history information is based on Braun's (1963) observations in Ohio and Kentucky. The larvae mine the leaves of alders and produce a slender, thread-like mine that is about 2.5 cm in length. The initial section is filled with black frass and often difficult to detect on the leaf. The larva abandons the mine after the third instar. The last two instars feed externally and eat irregular patches of leaf tissue from the underside of the leaf. The orange ocherous moulting cocoons are constructed on the underside of the leaf and are papery in texture (Eiseman, 2019). Previous to spinning its cocoon, the larva outlines the area selected with a palisade of erect, strong, curled silk threads. The hairy cocoon is spun on twigs, and varies from bright brown to almost black. There are eight prominent longitudinal ridges, and sometimes an additional indistinct ridge on either side. The ridges of the anterior section are raised at the junction with the posterior section, with the ends of the ridges project at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cocoon. In Ohio and vicinity there are two generations a year. The larvae of the first generation pupate early in July, and the adults emerge the same season. Larvae of the second generation are present in September and pupate from mid-September to early October. Overwintering occurs in the pupal stage and the adults emerge the following spring (Braun, 1963).
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Bucculatrix locuples is found in eastern North America. There are a few scattered records that are from Ontario, Quebec, Massachusetts, Ohio, Kentucky, and North Carolina. As of 2021, we have only two site records. One is from the Sandhills region in Moore County and the second at a high elevation site in Avery Co.
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: Very little information is available on the flight season. The adults emerge in late spring or early summer after overwintering as pupae. The adults probably first appear beginning in April and May, with a possible second generation in September and October (Braun, 1963). As of 2021, our one adult record is from mid-June.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The larvae are specialists on alders, and presumably only use Hazel Alder in North Carolina. This species is a wetlands species that can be found is a variety of wet settings, particularly where there is substantial sun exposure. Representative habitats include stream margins, freshwater marshes, the edges of beaver ponds, and wet thickets.
Larval Host Plants: The known hosts are the introduced Gray Alder (Alnus incana) farther north, and our native Hazel Alder (A. serrulata). The latter is the presumed host in North Carolina, and our only larval record is for this host. Green Alder (Alnus crispa) might also be used at higher elevations in the mountains. - View
Observation Methods: The adults appear to only very rarely visit lights and most records are for leaf mines or adults reared from mines. We recommend searching alders for the mines during the summer and fall months.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Shoreline Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection:
Comments: As of 2021, we have only two site records. Additional information is needed on the distribution and abundance of this species within the state before we can assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Bucculatrix locuples - No common name

Photos: 1

Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf on 2015-06-18
Avery Co.
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