Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFYponomeutidae Members: Zelleria Members: 78 NC Records

Zelleria retiniella Forbes, 1923 - Brindled Zelleria

Zelleria retiniellaZelleria retiniellaZelleria retiniellaZelleria retiniella
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Yponomeutoidea		 Family:
Yponomeutidae		Subfamily:
Yponomeutinae		Tribe:
[Yponomeutinae]		P3 Number:
36a0132		 MONA Number:
2431.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Zelleria retiniella is a small moth that has a distinct pattern, with the bright white head and thorax contrasting with an irregularly banded, orangish and white forewing. The maxillary palp is orange, while the labial palp is mostly white with a prominent, upturned scale tuft. The antenna is white with brown annulations, and the thorax is white, except for a dusting of orange scales on the posterior margin. The forewing has a series of highly irregular, transverse, white and orange bands that often anastomose, with the orange color predominating on the apical third of the wing. The white areas often have a sprinkling of brown scales on them. The outer fringe is white with a sprinkling of dark brown scales at the base and a denser group on the outer margin. The hindwings are dull white, and the legs mostly white with an orange band or two on the tarsi.
Wingspan: 15 mm (Forbes, 1923)
Genitalia and other structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: As of 2025, we are unaware on any documentation of the larval life history.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Zelleria retiniella is primarily found in the southeastern US, with the range extending from eastern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, western Tennessee, southeastern Missouri and southern Indiana eastward to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, then more narrowly along coastal areas to Massachusetts and New Hampshire. As of 2025, we have records from all three physiographic provinces, and mostly from the southern three-fourths of the state.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Zelleria retiniellaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: The adults have been found from March to August in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak from May through July. As of 2025, our records extend from early-May to early-September, with populations in the Blue Ridge flying about a month later than those in the Coastal Plain. Local populations in North Carolina appear to be univoltine.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Records in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina come mainly from Longleaf Pine habitat, including sand ridges. Pines are also present in a number of other sites in North Carolina where this species has been observed.
Larval Host Plants: The host plants appear to be unknown but a related species, Z. haimbachi, has similar coloration as an adult and has larvae that feed on the needles of Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata (Forbes, 1923). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
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 Zelleria retiniella - Brindled Zelleria

 75 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2025-06-30
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-31
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-31
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-22
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-22
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-20
Durham Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-05-20
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: David George on 2025-05-17
Durham Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09
Cumberland Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-08
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-06
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-04
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-31
Madison Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-21
Madison Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
iNaturalist		Recorded by: denisewill - Denise Williams on 2024-07-19
Caldwell Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/231248927***(c) Denise Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)| Public Positional Accuracy= ? Elevation=1309.2 feet		Zelleria retiniella
iNaturalist		Recorded by: kdkel - Kelly Davis on 2024-06-24
Hyde Co.
Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/225162820***(c) Kelly Davis, all rights reserved| Public Positional Accuracy=62 m Elevation=4.2 feet
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-13
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-28
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-25
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-25
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-05-15
Wake Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-09-01
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-08-13
Madison Co.
Comment:
Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-30
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Zelleria retiniella
Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment:

Photos of Zelleria retiniella from iNaturalist

Zelleria retiniella
© steven307 - Steven Joyner - 2022-06-15 - Robeson Co.
iNat record 		Zelleria retiniella
© steven307 - Steven Joyner - 2023-06-10 - Robeson Co.
iNat record 		Zelleria retiniella
© kdkel - Kelly Davis - 2024-06-24 - Hyde Co.
iNat record 		Zelleria retiniella
© denisewill - Denise Williams - 2024-07-19 - Caldwell Co.
iNat record