Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gracillariidae Members:	Phyllocnistis Members:	110 NC Records

Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella Chambers, 1875 - No Common Name

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gracillarioidea

Family:
Gracillariidae

Subfamily:
Phyllocnistinae

Tribe:
[Phyllocnistini]

P3 Number:
33a0376

MONA Number:
848.00

Comments: Phyllocnistis is a large genus with more than 125 described species worldwide, with 16 species currently recognized in North America. Davis and Wagner (2011) surmised that there may be hundreds of undescribed species in the neotropics. The adults of some species are very similar, and knowledge of the host plant and mine characteristics is helpful in identifying morphologically similar species (Eiseman, 2019).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Chambers (1875; Eiseman, 2019).

Adult Markings: The ground color of the forewing is silvery white with faint golden-yellowish coloration often present in the apical fourth. Just beyond mid-length, a curved dark line (narrow streak) extends from the costa to near the middle of the wing. This is followed by three relatively straight and shorter dark lines that are spaced out towards the apical spot, and that extend well into the fringe along the costa. Just posterior to the curved dark line on the costa, there is a similar curved line that originates on the dorsal margin and extends to the middle of the wing. The terminus of this line projects towards the first straight line on the costa. There is a well developed black apical spot, and a dark line in the apical fringe that originates at the spot and arches anteriorly towards the dorsal margin. Two or three additional faint dark lines are often evident in the apical fringe of unworn specimens. These radiate away from the apical spot. Chambers (1875) noted that the adults appear to be indistinguishable from Phyllocnistis vitifoliella and are best identified through rearing from the host plant.

Wingspan: 6 mm (Forbes, 1923)

Immatures and Development: The larvae produce long, winding, convoluted tracks on the upper surface of Sweetgum leaves. As a larva mines, it often loops back to parallel a previous section of mined leaf. The mine may be confined to a single lobe of a leaf, but more often winds through two or more leaf lobes. The larva produces a dark, liquid excrement that fills much of the mine (Eiseman, 2019). Pupation occurs at the end of the mine, often beneath the folded edge of the leaf. This is the only Phyllocnistis that exploits Sweetgum, and the distinctive mines are difficult to confuse with that any other species. Larvae often mine expanding leaves and cause minor distortions of the leaf surface and leaf shape.

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Local populations of P. liquidambarisella are restricted to sites where Sweetgum is present. The species is found through much of the southeastern US to at least as far north as southern Ohio and New Jersey. In North Carolina, populations occur throughout the Coastal Plain and eastern Piedmont. Populations were recently located in the mountains, and appear to be locally common along the French Broad River drainage where Sweetgum is present.

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 flight season is poorly documented because of the scarcity of adult records. Fully formed leaf mines have been observed in North Carolina as early as late June, so the adults are likely on the wing sometime in May.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: The larvae are dependent on Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) for reproduction. Sweetgum tends to be an early successional species that establishes well in disturbed habitats. Sweetgum tolerates a wide range of soil moisture and soil pH regimes, and can be found in a variety of habitats, including mature forests. Examples include floodplain and bottomland forests, swamplands, clearcuts, abandoned fields, roadways, and mesic to drier hardwood and mixed pine-hardwood forests.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) (Eiseman, 2022), which has been confirmed as the host in North Carolina. - View

Observation Methods: There are remarkably few adult records for this species, presumably because the adults are not attracted to lights. Almost all records are based on the leaf mines. We recommending searching for occupied mines during the late spring or early summer, then rearing and photographing the adults.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for Sweetgum Groves and 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 Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella - None

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

	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-01 Hoke Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-10-01 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-09-18 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-09-10 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2025-08-12 Alamance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-24 New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2025-06-17 Alamance Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin, Tracy Feldman, David George, Jeff Niznik and John Petranka. on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-10-29 Duplin Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-22 Randolph Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp on 2024-08-23 Edgecombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Donald Zepp on 2024-08-23 Nash Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-08-12 Pamlico Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-02 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-02 Craven Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-02 Jones Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-02 Lenoir Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Burke Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Catawba Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Davie Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Forsyth Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23 Iredell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-20 Bladen Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-20 Duplin Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-20 Johnston Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-20 Sampson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-20 Wayne Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-19 Columbus Co. Comment: