Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gracillariidae Members:	Cameraria Members:	101 NC Records

Cameraria caryaefoliella (Clemens, 1859) - Pecan Leafminer Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea

Family:
Gracillariidae

Subfamily:
Lithocolletinae

Tribe:
[Lithocolletini]

P3 Number:
33a0229

MONA Number:
811.00

Comments: Cameraria is a genus of leaf-mining micromoths. Many species are stenophagous and specialize on a small number of closely related host species. There are currently more than 50 described species in North America.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Clemens, 1860.

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun, 1908.

Adult Markings: The following is based in part on Clemens' (1860) original description. The antenna is silvery with black annulations. The face is silvery and the tuft and thorax reddish orange. The forewings are reddish orange with three curved, silvery bands that have black margins on the posterior margin (these are sometimes interrupted, with the pairs referred to as costal and dorsal streaks by some authors). The second band is near the middle of the wing and is angulated near the costa. The first band is about midway between the second band and the base of the forewing, is angulated, and is sometimes interrupted. The third band is often interrupted in the middle and is about the same distance from the second band as is the first band. The dorsal portions (streaks) of all three bands run parallel to one another. The apical portion of the wing is whitish, but covered with dispersed black markings. There are two marginal lines - one black at the apical margin, and the second brownish in the cilia. The hindwing is pale brownish gray. Braun (1908) noted that the adults vary greatly in the distinctness of the bands and the degree of dark dusting, and that the first band often does not extend to the costa. Cameraria guttifinitella is similar, but the bands are straight rather than curved as in C. caryaefoliella. The larva is dorso-ventrally depressed (almost flat), with the sides of the segments projecting outward to give the larva a beaded appearance.

Wingspan: 6-7 mm (Braun, 1908).

Immatures and Development: Larvae mine the upper sides of leaves where they make flat, whitish to brown mines. A larva initially forms a pale green, linear mine. This may either gradually widen into a blotch, or rapidly become a blotch or linear blotch that sometimes obliterates the initial linear portion. When there is a single larva in a leaflet, the mine forms a broad tract up to 15 mm wide (Eiseman, 2019). Where there are more than one larva in a leaflet, the mines often become confluent and the larvae feed communally. Larvae feed from the center outward, and the dark, liquid frass is deposited centrally. Pupation is in a flat, oval, densely woven, white silk cocoon (Braun, 1908; Eiseman, 2019).

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Cameraria caryaefoliella is widely distributed across much of the eastern US and adjoining areas of southern Canada. Populations occur as far south as Florida, to as far west as central Texas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. It occurs in all three physiographic provinces in North Carolina, but is most commonly encountered in 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: Local populations appear to be bivoltine or multivoltine, with adults first becoming active in North Carolina during May or later. Larvae from the last brood appear to overwinter in fallen leaves and pupate the following spring or early summer.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: The larvae are specialists on hickories and walnuts, and are found through the state where the hosts occur. Habitats range from alluvial forests and stream edges to upland hardwood forests.

Larval Host Plants: Eiseman (2019) lists the following documented hosts: Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis), Pignut Hickory (C. glabra), Pecan (C. illinoensis), Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata), Black Hickory (C. texana), Mockernut Hickory (C. tomentosa), Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), and Butternut (J. cinerea). As of 2024, we have records from Pecan, Bitternut Hickory, Mockernut Hickory, Pignut Hickory, Red Hickory (C. ovalis), Sand Hickory (C. pallida), Shellbark Hickory (C. laciniosa), and Shagbark Hickory, along with one record from Black Walnut. - View

Observation Methods: Local populations are easily documented by searching for the conspicuous leaf mines, and the adults are relatively easy to rear from the mines. The adults are also attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Cameraria caryaefoliella - Pecan Leafminer Moth

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-18 Lee Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-18 Stanly Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-10-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-05 Stanly Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-03 Anson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-03 Anson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-03 Robeson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-01 Hoke Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-09-10 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-09-10 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-22 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-22 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-09 Alamance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-09 Wilkes Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-10 Bladen Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-28 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-28 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-22 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-10-29 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-10-27 Craven Co. Comment:		Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams on 2024-10-02 Bertie Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2024-09-15 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall on 2024-08-31 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-27 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-26 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-26 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-21 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-21 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-08-12 Pamlico Co. Comment: