Moths of North Carolina

Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

Previous

Next

View PDF	Gracillariidae Members:	Phyllocnistis Members:	29 NC Records
Phyllocnistis ampelopsiella Chambers, 1871 - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Superfamily: Gracillarioidea	Family: Gracillariidae	Subfamily: Phyllocnistinae	P3 Number: 330394.00	MONA Number: 844.00
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 Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLD	Technical Description, Immature Stages: Chambers, 1871; Eiseman, 2019.
Adult Markings: The following is based primarily on Chambers’ (1871) original description. The forewing is snowy white and slightly golden towards the apex. The antenna, except near the base, is pale fuscous to darkish above. A pale blackish spot is present on the dorsal margin of the wings just posterior to the base. It adjoins an indistinct blackish median longitudinal line that extends through the thorax. A conspicuous oblique blackish basal streak begins at the base of the costa and progressively projects toward the middle of the wing. Just beyond the middle of the costa is a second shorter oblique costal black streak which projects towards the middle of the wing. Behind this is a narrow black line (sometimes incomplete near the middle) that curves from the costa to the inner margin where it widens. A conspicuous, circular black spot is present at the tip of the wing. Before it, there are two straight black costal streaks that extend into the fringe. The apical cilia has three blackish lines that converge towards the apical spot. Finally, there is a blackish marginal line, or a more diffuse blackish band, that originates near the apical spot and arches anteriorly towards the dorsal margin. Chambers (1871) noted that this species resembles P. vitifoliella, but differs in having a blackish median line through the thorax, a conspicuous black basal streak, and bolder blackish streaks throughout.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae mine the underside of Virginia Creeper leaves and produce a wide, linear mine with a very narrow black central frass line. A larva will often begin on the side of a vein near the leaf margin, then pass down the vein until it reaches, or nearly reaches, the midrib. From there it roughly parallels the midrib to the next vein, then works its way up that vein to the leaf margin. From there, it crosses to the adjoining vein and repeats the process. Because most of the tissue is consumed in the process, the track superficially resembles a large whitish blotch mine (Chambers, 1871; Eiseman, 2019). Pupation occurs at the end of the mine, typically in a small fold along the leaf margin. Chambers (1871) occasionally found the adults overwintering beneath the bark on hickory trees.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina


Distribution: The range of P. ampelopsiella is rather poorly documented due to the scarcity of records in the US. This species occurs in eastern North America from southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec) and the northern US (Iowa; Wisconsin;Maine), southward to as far south as southern Florida. As of 2020, we have only three records for the state. These are from all three physiographic provinces.
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