Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Tortricidae Members:	Acleris Members:	53 NC Records

Acleris chalybeana (Fernald, 1882) - Lesser Maple Leafroller Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Tortricoidea

Family:
Tortricidae

Subfamily:
Tortricinae

Tribe:
Tortricini

P3 Number:
51a0039

MONA Number:
3539.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Geise et al. (1964).

Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on those of Fernald (1882) and Forbes (1923) and is most relevant to North Carolina specimens. The palps and head are light tan, while the thorax is concolorous except for a transverse, anterior blackish band behind the collar, and one or two black spots at the posterior tip. The ground color of the forewing is concolorous with the head and thorax and is overlain with dark brown to blackish marks, including widely-spaced specks. The most distinct mark is a broad, triangular patch on the middle of costa that extends from around one-fourth the wing length to three-fourths the length and terminates near the middle of the wing. The patch is commonly mottled with a mixture of light tan and dark brown scales, with the region along the proximal and distal edges often appearing as two diffuse, dark parallel lines. A diagonal, broken ridge of raised scales is present that begins on the inner margin near the middle of the wing and extends along the proximal edge of the triangular costal patch to the costa. The raised scales are commonly whitish and defined with black distally. A parallel line of scale patches that are more widely spaced and generally less distinct occurs at around one-fourth the wing length, with those near the inner margin contacting an oblique blackish dash. A third linear group of scale patches is often evident at around three-fourths the wing length that extends as a curved ridge from the proximal edge of the triangular costal patch. The hindwing is more or less concolorous with the forewing ground, but with a much lighter shade.

Most specimens in North Carolina conform to the description above, but specimens are occasionally encountered with a diffuse, blackish, longitudinal basal band that parallels the inner margin to about one-quarter of the wing length. Specimens from the northern U.S. have often been described as having a steel gray or pearly-gray ground color, but unworn specimens in North Carolina typically have a light tan ground.

Wingspan: 19-22 mm (Covell, 1984).

Adult Structural Features: Moth Photographers Group has images of the male and female genitalia. Also, see genitalia images below.

Genitalia and other structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: Geise et al. (1964) studied the life history of this species in Wisconsin where Sugar Maple is a primary host. In their study, mating and egg laying occurred shortly after the adults emerged in the spring. The larvae first appeared from early to mid-June. The young larvae frequently took up residence as inquilines in abandoned leaf rolls of Cenopis pettitana where they fed on the leaf tissues. After the resources within the rolls were exhausted, the larvae attached the dead rolls to adjacent new leaves and fed on these before finally rolling their own tubular rolls. Rolling involved bending the lower side of the leaf downward, usually beginning at a side lobe, then continuing until the entire leaf was rolled into a tube over the course of several weeks. Incremental rolling allowed larvae to reach additional food within the roll as they grew. Pupation occurred within the roll and the adults emerged after around two weeks. Specimens that we have observed in North Carolina pupated in a loose cocoon made of silk and fecal pellets. The larvae in leaf rolls that were studied by Geise et al. (1964) reached a maximum length of around 22 mm and suffered significant mortality from numerous parasitoids, spiders, true bugs and lacewings. The body of the late-instars is light green with irregular shading, and the prothoracic shield has black lateral posterior corners. The pupae are dark brown and vary from 8.0-11.0 mm.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Acleris chalybeana is found throughout most of the eastern U.S. and in adjoining regions of southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec; New Brunswick; Nova Scotia). In the U.S. the range extends from Maine southward through the Atlantic Coast states to northern Florida, and westward to northern Mississippi, Arkansas, eastern Kansas, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. This species is absent or rare in most areas of the southeastern Coastal Plain. As of 2024, our records are restricted to the Piedmont and Blue Ridge.

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 adults have been observed during every month of the year in different areas of the range, with seasonal peaks typically in April and May, and again around October. As of 2024, we have records from mid-January through late-December. Based on data from the Blue Ridge, which provides our most comprehensive data set, local populations in North Carolina appear to have two or perhaps three generations per year, with adults from the final brood overwintering.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: This species is generally associated with hardwood forests, particularly those where maples are well-represented.

Larval Host Plants: Maples appear to be an important host group, but several other deciduous hardwoods are used (Ferguson, 1975; MacKay, 1962; Geise et al., 1964; Prentice, 1966; Covell, 1984; Drooz, 1985; Brown et al., 2008; Beadle and Leckie, 2018; Blair, 2023). The reported hosts include Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Silver Maple (A. saccharinum), Mountain Maple (A. spicatum), Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Paper Birch (B. papyrifera), American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), hazels (Corylus), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), apples (Malus), American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), and Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra). As of 2024, we have several records for individuals that were reared from rolled leaves of Red Maple (Acer rubrum). - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to UV lights, and will visit bait during the cooler months of the year.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S3S4]

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

Comments: This species can be locally abundant in the Blue Ridge, but is uncommon in the Piedmont.

Photo Gallery for Acleris chalybeana - Lesser Maple Leafroller Moth

Photos: 29

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-11-14 Madison Co. Comment: Specimen was dissected (female).		Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-09-10 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-07-11 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-10-19 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-15 Madison Co. Comment: A reared adultvfrom a leaf roll on Red Maple (see companion photo of larva from 2024-07-19).
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-19 Madison Co. Comment: Larva from a leaf roll on Red Maple (adult reared).		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-19 Madison Co. Comment: A leaf roll on Red Maple.
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-30 Mecklenburg Co. Comment: A reared adult from Red Maple.		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-30 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-22 Mecklenburg Co. Comment: A pupa protruding from a frass covered cocoon; adult emerged on 2024-06-30 (see companion photo).		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2024-06-22 Mecklenburg Co. Comment: A leaf roll of Red Maple that was collected on 6/18/24; pupa was found within the roll on 6/22/24; adult emerged on 6/30/24 (see companion photos).
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-04-01 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2023-10-24 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-05-25 Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-12 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-30 Transylvania Co. Comment: An adult that was reared from a leaf roll on Red Maple; leaf roll on August 2; adult emerged on August 30, 2022.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-30 Transylvania Co. Comment: View of a cocoon made of frass and silk, along with the pupal skin.		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-22 Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-22 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2022-08-17 Ashe Co. Comment: An adult that was reared from a rolled leaf on Red Maple.
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-06 Yancey Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-08-06 Yancey Co. Comment: A leaf roll of Red Maple; adult was reared.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-08-02 Transylvania Co. Comment: An occupied leaf roll on Red Maple.		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-17 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-04-13 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2019-12-09 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2017-04-15 Chatham Co. Comment: