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
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
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
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
New genus and species near Neurobathra
Parectopa lespedezaefoliella
Parectopa pennsylvaniella
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 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
Telamoptilia hibiscivora
Acrocercops
Members:
Acrocercops albinatella
Acrocercops astericola
Acrocercops unidentified species
12 NC Records
Acrocercops albinatella
(Chambers, 1872) - No Common Name
view caption
Acrocercops typically posture with the front of the body raised well above the surface.
view caption
A leaf mine on Quercus laevis. The larva initially makes a long, narrow, winding mine (seen near the junction of the mid- and lateral vein) that eventually enlarges into a large blotch.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea
Family:
Gracillariidae
Subfamily:
Acrocercopinae
P3 Number:
330215.00
MONA Number:
689.00
Comments:
The genus
Acrocercops
includes six recognized species in North America. Four of these are misapplied, but the correct genus to assign them to has not been determined. The adults of most species are rather boldly marked, and the larvae are leaf miners that produce linear blotch mines.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes, 1923.
Adult Markings:
This species has strongly contrasting white and light brown patterning. The face, palpi, head, and thorax are silvery white and the forewing ground color is light brown. The silvery white central band on the thorax continues as a band of variable width on the inner margin of the wing, but is interrupted by projections of the brown area to create two large, silvery patches. The band markedly narrows between the second (median) patch and the anal angle. Three white, oblique costal streaks project towards the white band on the inner margin. The first usually joins the large basal patch, while the others are curved and tapered, and do not reach the band along the inner margin. There is also a white apical spot that is edged with a black crescent near the wing tip. Individuals characteristically rest with the front of the body raised well above the surface of the substrate.
Wingspan:
9 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
The larvae mine the lower leaf surfaces of oaks. The early instar larva initially creates a long, narrow, winding mine that eventually balloons into a large, tentiform blotch (Eiseman, 2019). The last instar develops a reddish coloration, and eventually evacuates the mine and spins a flat, brownish cocoon. Larvae complete their development in approximately 10 days in Florida populations. The pupal stage is also very brief (Cornelissen and Stiling, 2006; Eiseman, 2019).
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Acrocercops albinatella
is widely distributed in eastern North America from southern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the northeastern US, southward to Florida and westward to Missouri. As of 2023, we have scattered records from throughout the state.
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:
Adults emerge with the spring warm-up and can be found as early as February and March in Florida (Cornelissen and Stiling, 2006) and April and June in New York (Forbes, 1923). Our limited records for North Carolina are from May-September. There are two or more broods per year.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
This species feeds on a large number of oak species that occupy habitats that range from bottomland forests to xeric oak communities in the Sandhills.
Larval Host Plants:
The larvae mine oak leaves (Eiseman, 2019). Host species that are used in the eastern US include White Oak (
Q. alba
), Bear Oak (
Q. ilicifolia
), Florida Scrub Oak (
Q. inopina
), Turkey Oak (
Q. laevis
), Laurel Oak (
Q. laurifolia
), Blackjack Oak (Q. marilandica), Dwarf Live Oak (
Q. minima
), Myrtle Oak (
Q. myrtifolia
), Water Oak (
Q. nigra
), Pin Oak (
Q. palustris
), Northern Red Oak (
Q. rubra
), Post Oak (
Q. stellata
) and Black Oak (
Q. velutina
). As of 2023, our leaf mine records are for Blackjack Oak, Northern Red Oak and Turkey Oak, but other species are undoubtedly used within the state.
Observation Methods:
The adults occasionally visit lights and the larvae produce conspicuous blotch mines on the undersides of oak leaves. Collecting active mines and rearing adults may be the most effective way to obtain new adult records.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
GNR S2S4
State Protection:
Comments:
Photo Gallery for
Acrocercops albinatella
- No common name
Photos: 17
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment: Unoccupied mine on Quercus laevis
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-18
Richmond Co.
Comment: Unoccupied mines were common on Quercus marilandica.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-18
Scotland Co.
Comment: Unoccupied mines were on Turkey Oak.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: An old mine on the underside of Northern Red Oak.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Two old mine on the underside of Northern Red Oak.
Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2022-05-29
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Rob Van Epps on 2022-05-29
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-07-10
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-06-19
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-05-07
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-09-06
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2016-05-16
Scotland Co.
Comment: View of a leaf mine on Quercus laevis.
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2016-05-16
Scotland Co.
Comment: A leaf mine on Quercus laevis. The larva initially makes a long, narrow, winding mine (seen near the junction of the mid- and lateral vein) that eventually enlarges into a large blotch.
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2014-06-08
Avery Co.
Comment: