Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gracillariidae Members:	Cameraria Members:	5 NC Records

Cameraria lentella (Braun, 1908) - No Common Name

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Taxonomy

Family:
Gracillariidae

Subfamily:
Lithocolletinae

P3 Number:
33a0247

MONA Number:
825.00

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: Braun (1908)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Braun (1908); Eiseman (2019)

Adult Markings: This is a somewhat distinctive Cameraria with two angulated white fasciae with dark posterior margins, a white subapical costal spot and opposing dorsal streak, and heavy black dusting in the apical region. The following detailed description is based in part on the description by Braun (1908). The antenna is grayish and broadly annulated with dark brown. The face and palps are whitish, but on some individuals may have a golden tinge. The head tuft is reddish saffron and mixed with whitish scales behind. The thorax and forewing are deep reddish saffron, and a narrow white line on each side of the thorax is continuous with an indistinct curved whitish basal streak at the inner angle. The basal streak is sometimes absent and replaced by the few black scales which form its external margin. An angulated white fascia is present at about the basal third and at the middle of the wing. Both are strongly margined with black scales on the posterior margin, and have a reduced series of black scales on the anterior margin near the costa. The first fascia on some specimens is broken into a matching costal and a dorsal streak that are not connected, but have continuous black dusting from the costa to the dorsal margin. A white costal spot or short oblique streak is present at the apical third that is margined with a few black scales. These are opposed by a long oblique dorsal white streak that is strongly margined behind with black scales. Rarely, the costal streak (if present) and dorsal streak may join or nearly join to form a third angulated fascia. In addition to the costal spot, a small patch of black scales is usually evident between the costal spot or streak and the second fascia, and a faint white spot may be evident near the apex. Overall, the apical region is densely dusted with black. The cilia vary from grayish ocherous to more gray toward the tornus, and have a dark brown line that runs through the middle. The hindwing is gray, and the cilia are gray with an ocherous tinge. The abdomen is dark gray above, pale reddish beneath, and has a reddish anal tuft. The hind tibia is reddish towards its apex, and the tarsi are white with black annulations.

Wingspan: 6.5-7 mm (Braun, 1908)

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed communally on members of the Betulaceae and produce large, upper-surface blotch mines. Although the young mines are flat and resemble those of certain other Cameraria that produce flat blotches (e.g., C. ostryarella), the finished mines are distinctive in being chestnut brown and having numerous longitudinal folds in the loosened epidermis that cause the opposite halves of the leaf to curl inward and in some instances nearly touch (Braun, 1908). Mines that were collected from Yancey Co. contained from 3-7 larvae and the frass was deposited away from the margins of the mine. A mine from October had larvae in overwintering niduses.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Cameraria lentella occurs in eastern North America and is mostly restricted to southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec) and the northeastern US to as far south and west as Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. Two populations were discovered in Yancey Co. and Buncombe Co. in 2021 that appear to be components of a southern disjunct group in the southern Appalachians. We still have much to learn about the distribution of this seemingly uncommon species 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: The mines and adults have been found from April through October. As of 2022, we have mine records from early July and early October, which suggest two broods per year in North Carolina. A mine from October had larvae in overwintering niduses, and the adults emerged in March within four weeks after being removed from a refrigerator. This suggest that adults would likely first emerge in April or perhaps May in natural sites in the mountains.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Populations are generally associated with mesic hardwood forests. All of our records as of 2022 are from rich, mesic forests at mid-elevational sites in the mountains.

Larval Host Plants: This species uses members of the Betulaceae. American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) appears to be the primary host (Eiseman, 2022), but there is at least one record of the species using Sweet Birch (Betula lenta). The latter is questionable and may reflect a misidentified plant specimen. In North Carolina, we have rearing records from Hop-hornbeam. - View

Observation Methods: The adults appear to rarely visit lights and are best obtained by rearing them from the mines on Ostrya.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Montane Mesic Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1S2

State Protection:

Comments: This species appears to be uncommon to rare in North Carolina, where there appears to be a southern disjunct population that is isolated from the main range farther north.

Photo Gallery for Cameraria lentella - None

Photos: 12

	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. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-03-19 Buncombe Co. Comment: Reared adult from a mine on Hop Hornbeam (see companion photos from 2021-10-10)		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-10 Buncombe Co. Comment: A mine with three niduses on Hop Hornbeam; adult reared (see companion photo from 2022-03-19)
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-10-10 Buncombe Co. Comment: A mine with three niduses on Hop Hornbeam; adult reared (see companion photo from 2022-03-19)		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-16 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-16 Yancey Co. Comment: Four adults were reared from mines on Hop Hornbeam; mines collected on July 1; adults emerged on July 16.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-16 Yancey Co. Comment: Four adults were reared from mines on Hop Hornbeam; mines collected on July 1; adults emerged on July 16. This adult was unusual in having a complete third fascia.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-01 Yancey Co. Comment: Occupied mines were on American Hop-hornbeam. Mines had 3-7 larvae per mine.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-01 Yancey Co. Comment: A backlit image showing four larvae in a mine.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-01 Yancey Co. Comment: Occupied mines were on American Hop-hornbeam. Mines had 3-7 larvae per mine.		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2021-07-01 Yancey Co. Comment: An older mine that shows the highly wrinkled texture.