Moths of North Carolina
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Cameraria Members:
41 NC Records

Cameraria hamameliella Busck, 1903 - Witch-hazel Leafminer Moth

Cameraria hamameliella
view caption 		Cameraria hamameliellaCameraria hamameliellaCameraria hamameliella
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Gracillarioidea Family: GracillariidaeSubfamily: LithocolletinaeP3 Number: 33a0245 MONA Number: 824.00
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, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Braun, 1908.Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun, 1908; Eiseman, 2019.                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is mostly based on Braun's (1908) description of adults. The face and palpi are whitish, while the antennae are whitish ocherous with dark brown annulations. The head tuft is reddish orange, and the thorax and forewings are deep reddish orange. At the base of the wing there is a faint, silvery streak with a black margin posteriorly that extends from the margin to the fold. This is followed by two straight, oblique, and roughly parallel silvery bands that are black margined posteriorly. The first is at the basal fourth of the wing, and the second about midway. At three-fourths, there is a costal and dorsal streak with black posterior margins. The dorsal streak is longer and curved rearward, while the costal one is shorter, straight, and often reduced to a spot. At the beginning of the costal cilia there is a short apical streak that is dark margined. The cilia are reddish, but become gray at the tornus. The hindwings and cilia are reddish gray, and the abdomen is dark gray above and ocherous gray beneath. The tarsal joints of the legs are white and tipped with black, but less so on the hindlegs. Although C. hamameliella is very closely related to C. aceriella, C. hamameliella differs by having deeper and more reddish color on the tuft and wings. The hind tarsi of C. hamameliella are also usually tipped with black, whereas in C. aceriella they are either faintly blackish tipped or entirely pure white. There are exceptions to these general trends, and specimens are best identified by rearing or barcoding.
Wingspan: 7 mm (Braun, 1908).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae mine the upper leaf surface and produce a whitish blotch that usually has a darker central area. The mature blotch is roughly circular or slightly oblong in shape. Larvae in the first brood pupate during the summer beneath a flat silken cocoon (Braun, 1908). Larvae in the second brood construct overwintering niduses which are visible through the epidermis as white rings (Eiseman, 2019). Individuals either overwinter as pupae, or as larvae and pupate the following spring. The adults emerge after the spring leaf-out.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Cameraria hamameliella is widely distributed in eastern North America, including southern Ontario, southern Nova Scotia, and much of the eastern US where the host species are found. As of 2022, our records from North Carolina are mostly from lower elevation sites 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: Populations are bivoltine with a summer and autumn brood.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations appear to rely heavily on Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) as a host plant. This species is found in a variety of mesic to dry forests, and occasionally in floodplain forests.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae were once thought to be monophagous on Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), but have recently been found on Large Witch-alder (Fothergilla major; Eiseman, 2019). As of 2024, we have records of mines on Witch Hazel and the non-native Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights that are in the vicinity of Witch Hazel. Local populations are perhaps most easily documented by searching for the distinctive mines on Witch Hazel and Fothergilla. We encourage individuals to rear and photograph adults to better document phenotypes in North Carolina.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S2S3
State Protection:
Comments: We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species in North Carolina to determine its conservation status. Cameraria hamameliella appears to be rather common in the mountains where Witch Hazel occurs locally.

 Photo Gallery for Cameraria hamameliella - Witch-hazel Leafminer Moth

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

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: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Tracy Feldman on 2024-07-25
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-16
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn on 2023-08-12
Caswell Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-09
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-09
Ashe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-09
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-09
Ashe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-08
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment: Occupied mines were common on Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica); in the same family as Witch-hazel that is used here in the eastern US. Charley Eiseman has also observed this species using Parrotia persica.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment: Occupied mines were common on Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica); in the same family as Witch-hazel that is used here in the eastern US. Charley Eiseman has also observed this species using Parrotia persica.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-10-09
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-10-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-09-15
Avery Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-09-15
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-09-15
Caldwell Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-09-08
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-09-08
Yancey Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-09
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-09
Watauga Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-06-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-28
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-04-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: A reared adult from Witch Hazel.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-04-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment: A reared adult from Witch Hazel. 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-10-14
McDowell Co.
Comment: