Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Gracillariidae Members:
Acrocercops albinatella
Acrocercops astericola
Acrocercops strigosa
Acrocercops unidentified species
Anarsioses aberrans
Caloptilia alnivorella
Caloptilia azaleella
Caloptilia bimaculatella
Caloptilia blandella
Caloptilia cornusella
Caloptilia coroniella
Caloptilia flavella
Caloptilia glutinella
Caloptilia hypericella
Caloptilia invariabilis
Caloptilia juglandiella
Caloptilia negundella
Caloptilia ostryaeella
Caloptilia packardella
Caloptilia porphyretica
Caloptilia rhoifoliella
Caloptilia sassafrasella
Caloptilia serotinella
Caloptilia stigmatella
Caloptilia superbifrontella
Caloptilia triadicae
Caloptilia umbratella
Caloptilia unidentified species
Caloptilia violacella
Cameraria aceriella
Cameraria aesculisella
Cameraria arcuella
Cameraria bethunella
Cameraria betulivora
Cameraria caryaefoliella
Cameraria castaneaeella
Cameraria cincinnatiella
Cameraria conglomeratella
Cameraria corylisella
Cameraria fletcherella
Cameraria guttifinitella
Cameraria hamadryadella
Cameraria hamameliella
Cameraria lentella
Cameraria macrocarpella
Cameraria obstrictella
Cameraria ostryarella
Cameraria picturatella
Cameraria quercivorella
Cameraria saccharella
Cameraria tubiferella
Cameraria ulmella
Cameraria unidentified species
Chrysaster ostensackenella
Cremastobombycia ignota
Cremastobombycia solidaginis
Cremastobombycia unidentified species
Leucanthiza amphicarpeaefoliella
Leucospilapteryx unidentified species
Leucospilapteryx venustella
Macrosaccus morrisella
Macrosaccus robiniella
Macrosaccus uhlerella
Marmara apocynella
Marmara fasciella
Marmara fraxinicola
Marmara serotinella
Marmara smilacisella
Marmara unidentified species
Marmara viburnella
Micrurapteryx salicifoliella
Neurobathra strigifinitella
Parectopa lespedezaefoliella
Parectopa pennsylvaniella
Parectopa plantaginisella
Parectopa robiniella
Parectopa unidentified species
Parornix geminatella
Parornix preciosella
Parornix unidentified species
Parornix vicinella
Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea
Phyllocnistis insignis
Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella
Phyllocnistis liriodendronella
Phyllocnistis liriodendronella__magnoliella complex
Phyllocnistis magnoliella
Phyllocnistis subpersea
Phyllocnistis unidentified species
Phyllocnistis vitegenella
Phyllocnistis vitifoliella
Phyllonorycter aeriferella
Phyllonorycter albanotella
Phyllonorycter argentifimbriella
Phyllonorycter argentinotella
Phyllonorycter auronitens
Phyllonorycter basistrigella
Phyllonorycter caryaealbella
Phyllonorycter celtifoliella
Phyllonorycter celtisella
Phyllonorycter crataegella
Phyllonorycter diversella
Phyllonorycter fitchella
Phyllonorycter intermixta
Phyllonorycter lucetiella
Phyllonorycter lucidicostella
Phyllonorycter maestingella
Phyllonorycter mariaeella
Phyllonorycter martiella
Phyllonorycter obscuricostella
Phyllonorycter occitanica
Phyllonorycter ostryaefoliella
Phyllonorycter propinquinella
Phyllonorycter quercialbella
Phyllonorycter salicifoliella
Phyllonorycter scudderella
Phyllonorycter tiliacella
Phyllonorycter trinotella
Phyllonorycter unidentified species
Porphyrosela desmodiella
Porphyrosela minuta
Porphyrosela unidentified species
Povolnya quercinigrella
Caloptilia
Members:
Caloptilia alnivorella
Caloptilia azaleella
Caloptilia bimaculatella
Caloptilia blandella
Caloptilia cornusella
Caloptilia coroniella
Caloptilia flavella
Caloptilia glutinella
Caloptilia hypericella
Caloptilia invariabilis
Caloptilia juglandiella
Caloptilia negundella
Caloptilia ostryaeella
Caloptilia packardella
Caloptilia porphyretica
Caloptilia rhoifoliella
Caloptilia sassafrasella
Caloptilia serotinella
Caloptilia stigmatella
Caloptilia superbifrontella
Caloptilia triadicae
Caloptilia umbratella
Caloptilia unidentified species
Caloptilia violacella
10 NC Records
Caloptilia hypericella
(Braun, 1918) - No Common Name
view caption
A leaf of Hypericum punctatum with two lower surface mines. Note the linear portion that eventually ends in a tentiform mine. The larva will eventually abandon the blotch mine and construct a curled leaf as a feeding shelter.
view caption
The upper surface of the leaf of Hypericum punctatum with two tentiform mines.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea
Family:
Gracillariidae
Subfamily:
Gracillariinae
Tribe:
[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
Technical 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. 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)
Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments:
Local populations appear to have two or more broods per year. Larvae have been found in April, July, and late August in Ohio and Kentucky (Braun 1918; Eiseman 2019). As of 2022, our limited records for adults extend from April through October.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Given the large number of host species used, populations likely occur in a wide range of habitats such as old fields, roadsides, rocky woods, and dry to mesic forests.
Larval Host Plants:
As the name implies,
C. hypericella
is a specialist on
Hypericum
species (St. John's Wort). Eiseman (2019) found this species on
Triadenum
, which is now generally treated as being a subgroup within the genus
Hypericum
(Weakley 2015). Species in eastern North America that are used as hosts include
H. adpressum
,
H. cistifolium
,
H. crux-andreae
,
H. fraseri
,
H. hypericoides
,
H. mutilum
,
H. prolificum
,
H. punctatum
,
H. sphaerocarpum
,
Hypericum stragulum
,
H. tetrapetalum
, and
H. virginicum
(Eiseman 2019).
Observation Methods:
The adults appear to only rarely visit lights, and searching for leaf mines on
Hypericum
species may be the most productive way to document local populations.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
St. John's-wort Thickets
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:
Caloptilia hypericella
appears to be uncommon throughout its range based on the rather small number of locality records for eastern North America.
Photo Gallery for
Caloptilia hypericella
- No common name
Photos: 16
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-07-18
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-06-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2021-04-08
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-19
Madison Co.
Comment: The upper surface of the leaf of Hypericum punctatum with two tentiform mines.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-19
Madison Co.
Comment: A leaf of Hypericum punctatum with two lower surface mines. Note the linear portion that eventually ends in a tentiform mine. See companion photo of the upper surface.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-11-04
Transylvania Co.
Comment: A lower-surface mine on Hypericum stragulum. Note the rather faint linear portion with a central frass line on the left that eventually widens into a blotch.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-11-04
Transylvania Co.
Comment: A view of the upper leaf surface of Hypericum stragulum. Only the blotch portion of the mine is visible from above (see companion photo of the lower surface).
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2018-06-12
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2018-06-12
Wake Co.
Comment: Leaf mines on Hypericum hypericoides.
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2018-06-12
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2016-08-30
Scotland Co.
Comment: A leaf mine on Hypericum hypericoides. The mine typically begins as a linear track that later enlarges to form a blotch.
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2016-08-30
Scotland Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2014-06-09
Avery Co.
Comment: