Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gracillariidae Members:	Cameraria Members:	4 NC Records

Cameraria picturatella (Braun, 1916) - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea

Family:
Gracillariidae

Subfamily:
Lithocolletinae

Tribe:
[Lithocolletini]

P3 Number:
33a0258

MONA Number:
833.00

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.

Adult Markings: The following is largely based on Braun's (1908) original description based on 18 specimens from a site in Connecticut. The palps are whitish with dark sides, while the face is reddish ocherous. The head tuft is reddish ocherous with some whitish scales, and the antennae are dark brown above with paler bands. The thorax and forewings are brownish ocherous. Each forewing has four dorsal and three white streaks that are dark margined posteriorly. The first (basal) pair consists of a relatively long dorsal streak that parallels the fascia in the middle, and a much shorter costal streak. In some specimens these may nearly touch. The second pair is united to form a posteriorly angulated fascia in the middle of the wing. In some specimens dark shading extends from the angle of the fascia posteriorly between the third pair of streaks to the apex (it can be poorly developed in other specimens). The third pair of whitish streaks occur at about three-fourths and are relatively small and opposite each other. A fourth costal streak occurs near the apex and has variable amounts of dark dusting towards the reddish ocherous cilia. The hindwings and cilia are gray with a brownish tinge. The tarsi on the forelegs and middle legs are white with bold black markings. The hindlegs are white with reduced black marks relative to the other legs. This species is similar to C. bethunella, but can be distinguished by the prominent black markings on the legs.

Wingspan: 6.5-7.0 mm (Braun, 1908).

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

Immatures and Development: The larvae mine the upper side of the leaf of bayberries (Morella spp.) and create a brownish blotch. The general shape of the blotch varies from widely oval to more widely elongated. The frass is diffuse and deposited throughout most of the mine. At pupation, the mine has a single, prominent ridge (Braun, 1908).

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Cameraria picturatella is most common in the northeastern US, including Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey. We have only two records for North Carolina as of 2020.

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 and include both a summer and autumn brood.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Cameraria picturatella is restricted to habitats that support the host species (Morella carolinensis and M. pensylvanica). These include sand dunes and sandy flats, pocosins, wet savannas and pine flatwoods, sandhill seepage bogs, and other peaty or sandy-peaty wetlands (Weakley, 2015).

Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Morella (Robinson et al., 2010; Eiseman, 2019). Reported hosts include Pocosin Bayberry (M. carolinensis) and Northern Bayberry (M. pensylvanica). In North Carolina, Tracy Feldman has reared larvae on both species, as well as Wax-myrtle (M. cerifera). - View

Observation Methods: The adults rarely visit lights and almost all records are based on either active mines, or adults reared from mines.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Myricaceous Thickets

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] SU

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

Comments: We currently do not have sufficient information to determine the conservation status of this species within the state.

Photo Gallery for Cameraria picturatella - None

Photos: 7

	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-11-09 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-11-09 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-02 Carteret Co. Comment: A series of blotch mines on Morella.		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-02 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-11-02 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2019-05-06 Moore Co. Comment: An upper-surface blotch mine on Morella caroliniensis. Larvae were present but parasitized.
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2019-05-06 Moore Co. Comment: A view of the underside of a leaf of Morella caroliniensis with an upper-surface blotch mine (see companion photo of the upper-surface).