Moths of North Carolina
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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 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
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 salicifoliella
Phyllonorycter scudderella
Phyllonorycter tiliacella
Phyllonorycter trinotella
Phyllonorycter unidentified species
Phyllonorycter viburnella
Porphyrosela desmodiella
Porphyrosela minuta
Porphyrosela unidentified species
Povolnya quercinigrella
Telamoptilia hibiscivora
Leucospilapteryx
Members:
Leucospilapteryx unidentified species
Leucospilapteryx venustella
24 NC Records
Leucospilapteryx venustella
(Clemens, 1860) - No Common Name
view caption
A tentiform mine on Cutleaf Coneflower as viewed from the upper leaf surface.
view caption
A finished mine on the underside of a Cutleaf Coneflower leaf.
view caption
The thin whitish covering on this mine was removed to reveal the whitish larva and frass ball. The final instar larva eventually turns bright red and leaves the mine to spin a cocoon.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea
Family:
Gracillariidae
Subfamily:
Gracillariinae
Tribe:
[Gracillariini]
P3 Number:
330226.00
MONA Number:
698.00
Comments:
Leucospilapteryx
is a small genus in the family Gracillariidae with only three recognized species.
Leucospilapteryx venustella
is the only one that occurs in North America.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Beadle and Leckie (2012)
Online Photographs:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Forbes, 1923
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Diaz et al. (2014)
Adult Markings:
The following is primarily based on the description by Forbes (1923). The head and eye-cap are silvery white, while the labial palp is white with two blackish spots. The antenna is dark brown. The forewing has a dark brown to brownish black ground color. There is a well-defined white streak that extends along the inner margin from the base to about half way to the apex. The costa has a small white costal spot at about one-fourth. This is followed by three ragged-edged, white streaks that are roughly equidistant. The first two are oblique posteriorly, straight, and run parallel to each other. They sometimes continue as a faint broken or fragmented streak that reaches well beyond the mid-point of the wing. The third is weakly oblique posteriorly and more curved. The cilia has a white patch with a dark margin, and contains a black dot. The fringe is mouse gray and mixed with white. The front and middle legs are brownish black except for the tarsi, which are whitish with fine black spots near the joints. The rear legs are white with brownish black bands. Individuals posture with the front legs raised, much like
Acrocercops
or
Caloptilia
species.
Leucospilapteryx venustella
is superficially similar to
Acrocercops astericola
, but the latter lacks a well-defined white streak that extends along the inner margin from the base to near the first dorsal blotch.
Wingspan:
8 mm (Forbes, 1923).
Forewing Length:
4.2 ± 0.2 mm (Diaz et al., 2014).
Adult Structural Features:
The male and female genitalia are illustrated in Diaz et al. (2014).
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
The hatchling initially produces a narrow, whitish linear track that enlarges into an underside tentiform blotch with wrinkles. The frass is often collected in a ball and the off-white larva eventually turns bright red at the termination of feeding. The larva eventually leaves the mine and spins a flat, white, oblong cocoon in a leaf fold or on the ground (Diaz et al., 2014; Eiseman, 2019). The mines are highly variable in shape and size depending on the host plant, and there are often more than one on a single leaf.
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Leucospilapteryx venustella
is found in eastern North America, including Ontario, Quebec, and much of the eastern U.S. In the U.S, the range extends from the northeastern states westward to Minnesota, and southward to as far as Florida and eastern Texas. This species occurs statewide in North Carolina.
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 collected throughout most of the growing season, generally from April to September or later. As of 2023, we have records of adults from mid-May to early-October, with records of occupied mines from July to September.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
The larvae feed on a variety of species in the Asteraceae, including many that are found in open, sunny habitats with moist to drier soils. Representative habitats included disturbed sites such as agricultural fields, roadways, forest edges, and waste areas, as well as woodland paths and mesic forests.
Larval Host Plants:
The larvae are polyphagous and mine the leaves of composites, including species of
Ageratina
,
Ambrosia
,
Bidens
,
Eutrochium
,
Mikania
,
Pseudognaphalium
and
Rudbeckia
. As of 2020, hosts that have been documented in North Carolina include White Snakeroot (
Ageratina altissima
), Annual Ragweed (
Ambrosia artemisiifolia
), Spanish-needles (
Bidens bipinnata
), Bearded Beggarticks (
B. aristosa
), Climbing Hempweed (
Mikania scandens
) and Joe-pye-weed (
Eutrochium
sp.). -
View
Observation Methods:
The adults occasionally visit UV lights, but many of our records are based on leaf mines.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
General Fields, Gardens, and Ruderal Habitats
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:
This species is undoubtedly more widespread in the state than our records through 2023 indicate.
Photo Gallery for
Leucospilapteryx venustella
- No common name
Photos: 22
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-10-06
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-10-06
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-16
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-16
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-16
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-21
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-21
Yancey Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-02
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-02
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15
Transylvania Co.
Comment: Unoccupied mines were on Rudbeckia laciniata.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15
Transylvania Co.
Comment: Unoccupied mines were on Rudbeckia laciniata.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-15
Transylvania Co.
Comment: Unoccupied mines were on Rudbeckia laciniata.
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-05-12
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-05-12
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-27
Buncombe Co.
Comment: A view of the upper surface of White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) with a tentiform mine.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-27
Buncombe Co.
Comment: A view of the lower surface of White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) with a tentiform mine.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-07-30
Madison Co.
Comment: Four young, weakly tentiform mines on the underside of a Joe Pye Weed leaf (Eutrochium sp.).
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-07-30
Madison Co.
Comment: A view of the upperside of a Joe Pye Weed leaf (Eutrochium sp.) with two mines.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-07-30
Madison Co.
Comment: The thin whitish layer on this mine on Joe Pye Weed was removed to reveal a larva and frass clump.
Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, K. Kittelberger, P. Scharf on 2015-06-18
Avery Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2015-05-13
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn, Paul Scharf on 2014-06-09
Avery Co.
Comment: