Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gracillariidae Members:	Caloptilia Members:	37 NC Records

Caloptilia negundella (Chambers, 1876) - Box-elder Leafroller Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea

Family:
Gracillariidae

Subfamily:
Gracillariinae

Tribe:
[Gracillariini]

P3 Number:
33a0183

MONA Number:
615.00

Other Common Name:
Box-elder Leafminer Moth

Species Status: The larvae of Caloptilia negundella feed on Box-elder, but specimens that are identical to this in terms of maculation and genitalia have also been found on several species of buckeyes (Eiseman, 2022). DNA barcoding of the Boxelder and buckeye feeders show them to both be in the same BIN, with no obvious genetic segregation of the two. Here, we consider the buckeye feeders to be C. negundella.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes, 1923; Chambers, 1876a

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun (1912)

Adult Markings: The following is based primarily on descriptions in Forbes (1923) and Chambers (1876a). The head, thorax and ground color of the forewing are light tawny brown to golden brown. The face is pale below and the labial palp is dirty yellowish white, with the tip of the joints fuscous to dark brown. The antenna is brown and obscurely annulated with darker color. A patch or wash of yellowish or yellowish brown scales is usually present near the base of the wing before the costal patch. The costal patch is light yellow, has a wide triangular base, and becomes truncated and flat-topped before reaching the inner margin. The anterior edge of the patch contrast rather sharply with the darker ground color, while the posterior edge extends posteriorly as a narrow band along the costal margin towards the apex. On some individuals the band is fragmented into one or more blotches, and on many individuals a small black spot is present near the posterior end of the truncated portion of the costal patch. A series of fine blackish dots extend along the costal margin from the anterior section of the costal patch towards the apex. The fringe of unworn specimens has three blackish stripes. The femor and tibia of the front and middle legs are dark brown, while the tarsi are white with a dark band that is followed distally with fine dots at the joints. The hindleg is lighter and faintly dotted at the tarsal joints. This species closely resembles of summer form of C. ostryaeella and is most easily distinguished by the presence of a dark band on the upper tarsi of the front and middle legs. The band is missing on C. ostryaeella.

Wingspan: 13 mm (Forbes, 1923).

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The larvae mine the leaflets of Boxelder. The mine reportedly begins as a narrow linear mine on the underside. The larva eventually crosses to the upper leaflet surface, where it creates a rather large whitish blotch. It then exits the blotch mine and rolls the leaflet downward from the tip to create a cone (Eiseman, 2019). Mines on Boxelder from North Carolina that are presumably those of Caloptilia negundella produce an initial whitish linear mine that is epidermal, then switch to producing a full-depth blotch that is brownish. The initial linear portion can occur on either the upper or lower surface of a leaflet. A larva in a leaf roll that was observed by Jim Petranka in Madison County pupated in a thin, elongated, papery cocoon that was attached to the leaf surface. The adult emerged 17 days later.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Caloptilia negundella is found primarily in eastern North America, but a disjunct is present in California and a few scattered populations are known from Albert, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. In the East, population occur in southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec) and from the northeastern states westward to Illinois, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. The range extends as far south as central Mississippi and northern Florida. Populations are poorly represented in the southeastern Coastal Plain where Box-elder is less common. As of 2025, all of our records are from the Piedmont and lower elevations in the mountains.

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: Adults have been recorded from May through September in different areas of the range, with a peak in seasonal activity from June through August. As of 2025, we have adult records from early-April through late-July, with one winter-active adult in December. We have records of occupied leaf rolls in early-May, suggesting that breeding is well underway by late-April.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are dependent on Box-elder (Acer negundo), and to a much lesser extend on buckeyes. Box-elder is common in alluvial forests and along stream banks in the mountains and Piedmont. It also can occasionally be found in upland sites with nutrient-rich soils. Box-elder is less common in the Coastal Plain where it is primarily found in brown-water alluvial forests.

Larval Host Plants: This species has been treated historically as being monophagous on Box-elder (e.g., Forbes, 1923), and we have numerous confirmations of this being the host in North Carolina. Specimens that are identical or nearly so to C. negundella in terms of adult maculation, genitalia and genetic sequences have also been found on several species of buckeyes (Eiseman, 2022), including Painted Buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica) in North Carolina, and Ohio Buckeye (A. glabra) and Red Buckeye (A. pavia) elsewhere. In particular, Jeff Niznik and Tracy Feldman have reared the adults from larvae on Painted Buckeye that appear to be identical to C. negundella. Here, we consider the buckeye feeders to be C. negundella. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights, and the leaf blotch mines and rolled leaflets are easy to spot on Box-elder and Painted Buckeye.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet 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:

Photo Gallery for Caloptilia negundella - Box-elder Leafroller Moth

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

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Marilyn Westphal. on 2025-08-09 Henderson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-20 Durham Co. Comment: A reared adult from a leaf roll on Aesculus sylvatica; larva on 2025-05-03.
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-03 Durham Co. Comment: Larva from an occupied leaf roll on Aesculus sylvatica; adult 2025-05-20.		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-03 Durham Co. Comment: An occupied leaf roll on Aesculus sylvatica; adult 2025-05-20.
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Kaitlyn Elliott on 2025-05-01 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen on 2025-04-02 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen on 2025-04-02 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-28 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-28 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-26 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2024-06-21 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-09 Madison Co. Comment: A reared adult from a leaf roll on Boxelder.		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-22 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-22 Madison Co. Comment: An occupied leaf roll on Boxelder; pupa on 2024-05-22; adult emerged on 2024-06-09 (see companion photos of the cocoon and adult).		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-22 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-30 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-25 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-24 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-17 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-17 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-17 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman on 2023-05-16 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman on 2023-05-16 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-09-15 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-24 Montgomery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-24 Montgomery Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-24 Montgomery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-07-09 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-07-09 Buncombe Co. Comment: