Moths of North Carolina
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Common Name:
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View PDFGracillariidae Members:
Phyllonorycter Members:
2 NC Records

Phyllonorycter viburnella (Braun, 1923) - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Family: GracillariidaeP3 Number: 330334.00 MONA Number: 802.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Braun (1923)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on the original description by Braun (1923). The palps are white, the face is golden, and the head tuft is dark brown. The antenna is dark brown above and silvery gray beneath, with the last seven or eight segments before the tip silvery white, and the tip black. The thorax and forewing ground color varies from brilliant golden to yellowish-orange. The forewing ground is overlain with silvery white transverse markings that are all internally margined with dark brown. A short median basal streak that is often margined with dark scales on the costal side extends to one-fifth the wing length. There is a complete and slightly curved fascia at one-third the wing length, and beyond it, two costal and two dorsal streaks. The first dorsal streak reaches almost to the middle of the wing, with its apex between the first and second costal streaks, while the second dorsal streak is much shorter and just beyond the second costal streak. There is an elongate black apical spot, and the last row of scales around the apex is bluish metallic. The cilia is pale golden and often with a darker band at the base. The hindwing and cilia are brownish gray, and the legs silvery gray.
Wingspan: 7 mm (Braun, 1923).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae mine the leaves of Viburnum species and produce an elongated mine between two of the lateral veins. The lower epidermis becomes wrinkled with time and almost brings the veins together. Pupation takes place beneath a small circular patch near the midrib that is left uneaten on the upper leaf surface (Braun, 1923; Eiseman, 2022).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Phyllonorycter viburnella appears to be a relatively rare species that is only known from a few scattered sites in eastern North America, including in Quebec, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Ohio and North Carolina. David George and Jeff Niznik recently documented this species in two counties in the eastern Piedmont, which are our only known records as of 2023.
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
Flight Comments: The flight season is poorly documented due to the scarcity of records for this species. The known dates as of 2023 include April, July, August and September.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The larvae mine the leaves of viburnums and are restricted locally to sites with the host species, typically forests or forest edges that can range from wet to mesic or even dry.
Larval Host Plants: Phyllonorycter viburnella is a specialist on viburnums. As of 2023, the known hosts are Southern Arrowwood (V. dentatum) and Downy Arrowwood (V. rafinesqueanum). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Viburnum Thickets
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S1S3
State Protection:
Comments: North Carolina is the southernmost known locality for this seemingly rare species, with the nearest known population as of 2023 being in Ohio.

 Photo Gallery for Phyllonorycter viburnella - No Common Name

Photos: 4

Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-16
Durham Co.
Comment: An unoccupied mine on Viburnum rafinesqueanum.		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-16
Durham Co.
Comment: An unoccupied mine on Viburnum rafinesqueanum.
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-11
Orange Co.
Comment: An unoccupied mine on Viburnum rafinesqueanum.		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-11
Orange Co.
Comment: An unoccupied mine on Viburnum rafinesqueanum.