Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-
BEDELLIIDAE-
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-
COLEOPHORIDAE-
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-
COSSIDAE-
CRAMBIDAE-
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-
ELACHISTIDAE-
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-
GEOMETRIDAE-
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-
GRACILLARIIDAE-
HELIOZELIDAE-
HEPIALIDAE-
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-
LYONETIIDAE-
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-
OECOPHORIDAE-
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-
PRODOXIDAE-
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-
PYRALIDAE-
SATURNIIDAE-Saturniids
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-
SESIIDAE-
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-
TINEIDAE-
TISCHERIIDAE-
TORTRICIDAE-
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-
YPSOLOPHIDAE-
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Gracillariidae Members:
Acrocercops albinatella
Acrocercops astericola
Acrocercops unidentified species
Anarsioses aberrans
Aristaea pennsylvaniella
Caloptilia alnivorella
Caloptilia azaleella
Caloptilia belfragella
Caloptilia bimaculatella
Caloptilia blandella
Caloptilia cornusella
Caloptilia coroniella
Caloptilia flavella
Caloptilia glutinella
Caloptilia hypericella
Caloptilia invariabilis
Caloptilia juglandiella
Caloptilia negundella
Caloptilia ostryaeella
Caloptilia packardella
Caloptilia paradoxum
Caloptilia porphyretica
Caloptilia rhoifoliella
Caloptilia sassafrasella
Caloptilia serotinella
Caloptilia stigmatella
Caloptilia superbifrontella
Caloptilia triadicae
Caloptilia umbratella
Caloptilia unidentified species
Caloptilia violacella
Cameraria aceriella
Cameraria aesculisella
Cameraria arcuella
Cameraria bethunella
Cameraria betulivora
Cameraria caryaefoliella
Cameraria castaneaeella
Cameraria cincinnatiella
Cameraria conglomeratella
Cameraria corylisella
Cameraria fletcherella
Cameraria guttifinitella
Cameraria hamadryadella
Cameraria hamameliella
Cameraria lentella
Cameraria macrocarpella
Cameraria obstrictella
Cameraria ostryarella
Cameraria picturatella
Cameraria quercivorella
Cameraria saccharella
Cameraria tubiferella
Cameraria ulmella
Cameraria unidentified species
Chrysaster ostensackenella
Cremastobombycia ignota
Cremastobombycia solidaginis
Cremastobombycia unidentified species
Cryptolectica strigosa
Leucanthiza amphicarpeaefoliella
Leucospilapteryx unidentified species
Leucospilapteryx venustella
Macrosaccus morrisella
Macrosaccus robiniella
Macrosaccus uhlerella
Marmara apocynella
Marmara auratella
Marmara fasciella
Marmara fraxinicola
Marmara new species 1 - on Symplocos
Marmara new species 10 - on Benthamidia and Swida
Marmara new species 11 - on Dysphania or Chenopodium
Marmara new species 12 - on Euphorbia
Marmara new species 13 - on Gardenia
Marmara new species 14 - on Gelsemium
Marmara new species 15 - on Ilex spp.
Marmara new species 16 - on Impatiens
Marmara new species 17 - on Iva spp.
Marmara new species 18 - on Liquidambar
Marmara new species 19 - on Morella
Marmara new species 2 - on Clematis
Marmara new species 20 - on Nyssa
Marmara new species 21 - on Oxydendrum leaf
Marmara new species 22 - on Oxydendrum stem
Marmara new species 23 - on Passiflora
Marmara new species 24 - on Quercus alba
Marmara new species 25 - on Quercus margaretiae and virginiana
Marmara new species 26 - on Rosa
Marmara new species 27 - on Senna
Marmara new species 28 - on Ulmus
Marmara new species 29 - on Vaccinium
Marmara new species 3 - on Acer spp.
Marmara new species 4 - on Acer negundo
Marmara new species 5 - on Borrichia
Marmara new species 6 - on Carpinus
Marmara new species 7 - on Ostrya
Marmara new species 8 - on Carya spp.
Marmara new species 9 - on Cercis
Marmara serotinella
Marmara smilacisella
Marmara unidentified species
Marmara viburnella
Micrurapteryx salicifoliella
Neurobathra strigifinitella
Neurobathra unidentified species
New genus and species near Neurobathra
Parectopa lespedezaefoliella
Parectopa plantaginisella
Parectopa robiniella
Parectopa unidentified species
Parornix geminatella
Parornix obliterella
Parornix preciosella
Parornix unidentified species
Parornix vicinella
Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea
Phyllocnistis insignis
Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella
Phyllocnistis liriodendronella
Phyllocnistis New Species one
Phyllocnistis subpersea
Phyllocnistis unidentified species
Phyllocnistis vitegenella
Phyllocnistis vitifoliella
Phyllonorycter aeriferella
Phyllonorycter albanotella
Phyllonorycter argentifimbriella
Phyllonorycter argentinotella
Phyllonorycter auronitens
Phyllonorycter basistrigella
Phyllonorycter caryaealbella
Phyllonorycter celtifoliella
Phyllonorycter celtisella
Phyllonorycter crataegella
Phyllonorycter diversella
Phyllonorycter fitchella
Phyllonorycter intermixta
Phyllonorycter lucetiella
Phyllonorycter lucidicostella
Phyllonorycter maestingella
Phyllonorycter mariaeella
Phyllonorycter martiella
Phyllonorycter New Species one
Phyllonorycter obscuricostella
Phyllonorycter occitanica
Phyllonorycter ostryaefoliella
Phyllonorycter propinquinella
Phyllonorycter quercialbella
Phyllonorycter rhododendrella
Phyllonorycter salicifoliella
Phyllonorycter scudderella
Phyllonorycter tiliacella
Phyllonorycter trinotella
Phyllonorycter unidentified species
Phyllonorycter viburnella
Porphyrosela desmodiella
Porphyrosela minuta
Porphyrosela unidentified species
Povolnya quercinigrella
Telamoptilia hibiscivora
Phyllocnistis
Members:
Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea
Phyllocnistis insignis
Phyllocnistis liquidambarisella
Phyllocnistis liriodendronella
Phyllocnistis New Species one
Phyllocnistis subpersea
Phyllocnistis unidentified species
Phyllocnistis vitegenella
Phyllocnistis vitifoliella
25 NC Records
Phyllocnistis subpersea
Davis and Wagner, 2011 - No Common Name
view caption
A backlit image of the mine on the underside of a Persea leaf. This species produces a lower surface mine, has a very narrow frass line, lays the eggs away from the midrib, and produces an elliptical chamber.
view caption
A mine on the underside of a Persea leaf that shows the thin frass trail. Note how the egg was laid away from the midrib, and the terminal chamber is at the leaf margin.
Taxonomy
Family:
Gracillariidae
Subfamily:
Phyllocnistinae
P3 Number:
33a0381
MONA Number:
852.10
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).
Species Status:
This species was recently described by Davis and Wagner (2011), and is one of two species of
Phyllocnistis
in North Carolina that feed on Redbays (
Persea
sp.).
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Davis and Wagner (2011)
Technical Description, Immature Stages:
Davis and Wagner (2011)
Adult Markings:
The following is primarily based on descriptions provided by Davis and Wagner (2011). The frons is shiny white, smooth, and glabrous. The vertex is whitish with subtle faint orange tints, while the antenna is whitish with a faint orange luster above. The labial palps are white, short, and roughened apically. The thorax and ground color of the forewing is straw colored, and sometimes with orange tints. The forewing has a conspicuous longitudinal fascia (streak) that is edged with black scales above and below. This joins a black-margined transverse fascia that leaves the costal margin at a 45° angle. The lower arm of the fascia where it leaves the inner margin is poorly defined, and often fuses with a diffuse subbasal patch of fuscous scales. There is a second costal fascia that usually fusing with the transverse fascia distally. The apical spot is weakly developed, and is small and fuscous rather than black. The apical strigulae are vague and poorly differentiated. The black fringe scales about the tornus are broadened, conspicuously blackened apically, and raised appreciably above the plane of the wing. The legs are silvery white, with a faint orange luster on the dorsal and outer surfaces. The foreleg sometimes shows a modestly level of darkening, while the abdomen is silvery white and unmarked. The most diagnostic features of this species are the raised row of broadened, black fringe scales on the tornus, the short labial palps (about 1.3x the height of the eye), and the absence of a black apical spot.
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea
is similar to
P. subpersea
, but is smaller (forewing length < 2.3 mm), has shorter labial palps (less than the height of the eye), has a prominent black apical spot, and has less conspicuous black fringe scales about the tornus. These species also differ by the leaf mine characteristics, with
Phyllocnistis hyperpersea
mining the upper leaf surface and
P. subpersea
usually mining the lower. Davis and Wagner (2011) also described
P. longipalpa
, which is another species that feeds on
Persea
and has mines similar to
P. subpersea
. This species has only been collected from the Everglades and vicinity in extreme southern Florida. The authors found mines that they presumed were those of
P. subpersea
as far north as South Carolina. Here, we have elected to tentatively assign the North Carolina material to
P. subpersea
, but rearing is needed to confirm that they are not
P. longipalpa
.
Forewing Length:
2.0 to 2.7 mm, although most are between 2.4–2.6 mm (Davis and Wagner, 2011).
Adult Structural Features:
Davis and Wagner (2011) provide detailed descriptions of the male and female genitalia. Because of the general similarity of both male and female genitalia that exists among most members of
Phyllocnistis
, species identifications that rely upon standard genitalic characters are challenging (Davis and Wagner, 2011). The male genitalia are similar to those of
P. hyperpersea
, except the valva is curved slightly dorsad and is relatively shorter ( ~ 1.6× length of the vinculum). The basal apodeme of the valva is directed slightly caudad in repose. The female genitalia are also similar to those of
P. hyperpersea
, except the ductus bursae is slightly shorter (~ 2.2× the length of the papillae anales), and it gradually enlarges to a moderately slender, elliptical, corpus bursae. The ductus seminalis is ~ 1.8× the length of the corpus bursae. Davis and Wagner (2011) noted that the pupae of
Phyllocnistis
often show species-specific differences in external anatomy. In particular, the frontal process (cocoon-cutter) of the pupa of
P. subpersea
consists of a pair of stout, conical spines arising near the apex, and a single more subapical and strongly curved spine from the upper frons. In contrast, the frontal process of
P. hyperpersea
consists of a single spine that extends forward as a relatively large and broadly triangular, acute spine.
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development:
The egg is deposited away from the midrib and usually on the lower side of the leaf (occasionally on the upper side). The larva passes through three sap-feeding instars that create a long serpentine mine. Mines that were examined by Davis and Wagner (2011) increased from ~ 0.3 mm wide in the early stages to a maximum of 2–2.5 mm wide at maturity. Each mine contains a dark, continuous median frass trail that extends the length of the mine. The width of the frass trail is about half the width of the mine or less. The fourth instar is a highly specialized, non-feeding stage whose primary function is to spin the cocoon in the terminal chamber. The pupation chamber is slightly enlarged, elliptical, and typically found along the edge of a leaf. The mines of
P. subpersea
and
P. hyperpersea
are sometimes found together locally and are easy to distinguish based on the mine characteristics. The mines of the latter are usually produced on the upper leaf surface, have a wide, light-brown, frass line that fills 50% or more of the mine, and have an oval pupation chamber that is found away from the leaf edge.
Larvae ID Requirements:
Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Populations have been documented in the Coastal Plain of Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina. Our records for North Carolina as of 2023 are all from the eastern Coastal Plain. Records from Dare County are the northernmost known localities for this species.
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 phenology is poorly documented. In Florida, the adults from recently collected mines emerged from February 22 to April 11 (Davis and Wagner, 2011).
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Phyllocnistis subpersea
is a specialist on Redbays (
Persea
). Our two native species are found in both wetlands (
Persea palustris
) and drier, sandy habitats (
P. borbonia
).
Larval Host Plants:
The only known hosts are Swamp Redbay (
Persea palustris
) and Upland Redbay (
P. borbonia
). -
View
Observation Methods:
Almost all records are based on either leaf mines or adults that were reared from leaf mines.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for
Redbay Shrublands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
GNR S1S2
State Protection:
Comments:
Phyllocnistis subpersea
appears to be uncommon in North Carolina. This species is also highly threatened by the widespread loss of redbay trees throughout the Southeast due to an introduced pathogen, the Laurel Wilt fungus (
Raffaelea lauricola
).
Photo Gallery for
Phyllocnistis subpersea
- No common name
Photos: 30
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-31
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-31
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-01
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-08-14
Craven 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
Craven Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-02
Jones Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-20
Bladen Co.
Comment: On Tamala (Persea) palustris.
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-19
Columbus Co.
Comment: On Tamala (Persea) palustris.
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-18
Brunswick Co.
Comment: Tamala (Persea) palustris was host plant. Mines were old and unoccupied.
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-10
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-10
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-10
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-10-23
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-23
New Hanover Co.
Comment: lower-surface mines on Persea palustris; 1 occupied
Recorded by: David George, Bo Sullivan on 2023-05-01
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-03-27
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-02-06
New Hanover Co.
Comment: Unoccupied mine on lower leaf surface of Persea palustris
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-10-27
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2022-10-27
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-03-17
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-03-16
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-03-16
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka, Becky Elkin, and Sally Gewalt on 2021-12-06
Dare Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka, Becky Elkin, and Sally Gewalt on 2021-12-04
Dare Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-03-29
Bladen Co.
Comment: An unoccupied mine on Persea palustris.
Recorded by: j. B. Sullivan on 2020-05-16
Carteret Co.
Comment: Old mines on Persea borbonia; unoccupied.
Recorded by: Bo Sullivan on 2020-02-17
Carteret Co.
Comment: A backlit image of the mine on the underside of a Persea palustris leaf. This species produces a lower surface mine, has a very narrow frass line, lays the eggs away from the midrib, and produces an elliptical chamber. P. longipalpa produces similar mines, but is only known from the Everglades and vicinity.
Recorded by: Bo Sullivan on 2020-02-17
Carteret Co.
Comment: