Moths of North Carolina
Home Page
Recent Entries
Recent Account Updates
County Searches
General Search
Submit a Public Record
Larval Hosts
References
Maps
Draft Checklists
Family PDFs
NC Biodiversity Project
Comments
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-
«
Home
»
View
PDF
Gracillariidae Members:
Acrocercops albinatella
Acrocercops astericola
Acrocercops unidentified species
Anarsioses aberrans
Aristaea pennsylvaniella
Caloptilia alnivorella
Caloptilia azaleella
Caloptilia belfragella
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 paradoxum
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
Cryptolectica strigosa
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
Neurobathra unidentified species
New genus and species near Neurobathra
Parectopa lespedezaefoliella
Parectopa plantaginisella
Parectopa robiniella
Parectopa unidentified species
Parornix geminatella
Parornix obliterella
Parornix preciosella
Parornix unidentified species
Parornix vicinella
Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea
Phyllocnistis insignis
Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella
Phyllocnistis liriodendronella
Phyllocnistis New Species one
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 New Species one
Phyllonorycter obscuricostella
Phyllonorycter occitanica
Phyllonorycter ostryaefoliella
Phyllonorycter propinquinella
Phyllonorycter quercialbella
Phyllonorycter rhododendrella
Phyllonorycter salicifoliella
Phyllonorycter scudderella
Phyllonorycter tiliacella
Phyllonorycter trinotella
Phyllonorycter unidentified species
Phyllonorycter viburnella
Porphyrosela desmodiella
Porphyrosela minuta
Porphyrosela unidentified species
Povolnya quercinigrella
Telamoptilia hibiscivora
Caloptilia
Members:
Caloptilia alnivorella
Caloptilia azaleella
Caloptilia belfragella
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 paradoxum
Caloptilia porphyretica
Caloptilia rhoifoliella
Caloptilia sassafrasella
Caloptilia serotinella
Caloptilia stigmatella
Caloptilia superbifrontella
Caloptilia triadicae
Caloptilia umbratella
Caloptilia unidentified species
Caloptilia violacella
20 NC Records
Caloptilia invariabilis
(Braun, 1927) - Cherry Leaf-cone Caterpillar Moth
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea
Family:
Gracillariidae
Subfamily:
Gracillariinae
Tribe:
[Gracillariini]
P3 Number:
330131.00
MONA Number:
609.00
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
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
(Braun 1927, 1935; Eiseman 2019).
Adult Markings:
The adults are rather uniformly colored on the forewings, upper thorax, upper head, and labial palps with deep saffron. Crimson and pale blue reflections are sometimes evident on the forewings, and the costal margin is often lighter than the remainder of the forewing. Some specimens have a row of minute brown costal specks (Eiseman, 2019). The tibia and femur of the front and middle leg are dark reddish fuscous to black, and are noticeably darker than the forewing ground color. The tarsi are white with dark spots near the tarsal joints and varying amounts of fuscous dusting. The rear legs are lighter than the front and middle legs and uniformly dusted with fuscous coloration.
Wingspan:
16.5-17.6 mm (eastern TN specimens; Braun, 1935)
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
The mine is a very indistinct, whitish, linear mine that ends in a small underside blotch, with the parenchyma consumed and the epidermis somewhat wrinkled. When the mine is at the leaf margin, the edge is folded under. Upon exiting the mine, the larva rolls the leaf downward from the tip, forming a cone (Braun 1927; Eiseman 2019). Braun (1935) observed larvae in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee that made a small initial cone before making the typical larger cone. The cocoon is spun outside the cone.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Specimens that conform to the description of
C. invariabilis
has been found in scattered localities in the West in British Columbia, Washington and California. This species is more broadly distributed in eastern North America from southern Canada southward to eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina (Eiseman, 2019; BugGuide; iNaturalist). Other than Buncombe Co. (iNaturalist), most records for North Carolina are from moderate to high elevations in the Blue Ridge and include Madison, Avery, and Watauga counties (BugGuide).
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:
Our very limited records for North Carolina indicate a flight season from June through late October.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Populations in North Carolina appear to be common at higher elevations, perhaps because of the strong reliance of this species on Fire Cherry.
Larval Host Plants:
Caloptilia invariabilis
specializes on
Prunus
species, particularly Fire Cherry (
P. pensylvanica
). Braun (1935) found specimens on Chickasaw Plum (
P. angustifolia
) in the Great Smoky Mountains, while Robinson et al. (2002) listed
P. serotina
and
P. virginiana
as hosts for Canadian populations (Eiseman, 2019). -
View
Observation Methods:
Adults are attracted to UV lights. Larvae can be located by searching for curled leaf-tips on Fire Cherry or other
Prunus
species in the mountains.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
Montane Rosaceous 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:
Photo Gallery for
Caloptilia invariabilis
- Cherry Leaf-cone Caterpillar Moth
Photos: 16
Recorded by: Owen McConnell and Simpson Eason on 2024-06-21
Graham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-15
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-08
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-04-08
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-03-06
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-10-08
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-02
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-05-21
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-04-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-03-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-25
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf on 2016-06-28
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Paul Scharf, Brian Bockhahn on 2015-06-17
Avery Co.
Comment: