Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGracillariidae Members:
Caloptilia Members:
15 NC Records

Caloptilia hypericella (Braun, 1918) - No Common Name


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Gracillarioidea Family: GracillariidaeSubfamily: GracillariinaeTribe: [Gracillariini]P3 Number: 330130.00 MONA Number: 608.00
Comments: Caloptilia is a large genus with nearly 300 described species; 64 species have been described from North America north of Mexico. The larvae mostly feed on woody plants and begin as leaf-mining sap-feeders. The latter instars usually exit the mines and feed within a conical roll that begins at the leaf apex or at the tip of a leaf lobe.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Braun (1918)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun (1918), Eiseman (2019)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This species lacks the bold patterning that is seen in many Caloptilia and has an overall drab, ochreous coloration with darker mottling. Braun (1918) described the forewings as having an ocherous ground color that is overlain with shining purplish fuscous. The dark coloration on the dorsal half of the wing fades into a lighter wash of varying width that extends along much of the length of the costa. The lighter wash is often narrowest near the wing tip, broadens to reach its maximum width near the middle of the wing, then fades out towards the wing base. There is normally a series of minute fuscous dots on the costal edge. The face is whitish and the labial palps are whitish, but often overlain with extensive dark coloration on the terminal half that produces a somewhat two-toned appearance. The cilia are fuscous and have 3-4 indistinct darker lines running through them. The tibia and femur of the front and middle leg are dark brown to blackish, while the tarsi are whitish with dark spots near the tarsal joints. The rear legs are whitish, but dusted with fuscous coloration.

This species is superficially similar to some specimens of C. rhoifoliella, but is smaller (wing span 8.5-10 mm versus 12-13 mm) and lacks the series of dark brown dots or small rectangular blotches along the costa and fold. The light coloration along the costa also extends more basally in C. hypericella.
Wingspan: 8.5-10 mm (Braun, 1918)
Forewing Length: 5 mm (BugGuide)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larva makes a small linear mine that expands into an elongated blotch on the underside of the leaf. The blotch is small (typically < 2 mm wide and 7-8 mm long) and becomes tentiform when mature. An indistinct central frass line is usually evident in the linear portion. The larva eventually abandons the blotch and constructs a conical shelter by rolling the tip of the leaf downward into a cone (Braun 1918; Eiseman 2019). This usually involving using the whole leaf. The cocoon is constructed on the underside of the curled leaf.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Populations are known from scattered localities in eastern North America, including Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, Vermont, and Massachusetts, southward to Alabama, Mississippi and Florida (Eiseman, 2019; MPG). As of 2022, we have scattered records of mines or adults from the mountains eastward to the Coastal Plain.
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)

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