Moths of North Carolina

sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
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Gerdana caritella None MONA_number: 1144.00	Gerdana is a monotypic genus.	The following is based primarily on the description by Busck (1908) and Forbes (1923). The short, ascending, labial palp is brownish-yellow and terminates before reaching the vertex. The antenna is yellowish brown and extends to about two-thirds the length of the forewing. The face, head, and thorax are light yellow to straw colored and suffused with varying amounts of darker brownish-yellow. These are often slightly lighter colored than the ground color of the forewings, which is otherwise similar. The basal one-third to one-half of the costal edge is darkened with blackish to brownish-black dusting. On some specimens, this expands at the base to form a wide band that extends to the inner margin. There are two obliquely placed blackish dots at one-third, and a series of two or three similar dark spots at about two-thirds, along with a corresponding large blotch on the costal margin. These are often fused to varying degrees to form a crooked dark band. Beyond this, there is a strongly bent, dark, subterminal band that runs parallel to the tip of the costa and outer margin. The area beyond this is suffused with dark dusting, and on some specimens the entire terminal region may appear dark. The markings tend to disappear in rubbed specimens, so expect variation depending on the degree of wear. The hindwing is whitish, and and fringe of both wings straw-colored. The abdomen is straw-colored and heavily spined, and the legs are brownish and liberally dusted with black on the exposed sides.	We have records from a variety of habitats, including semi-wooded residential neighborhoods and more natural communities. Most are associated with hardwoods or mixed hardwood-pine forests.	The feeding ecology and hosts are poorly documented. The larvae have been reared on several occasions from 'witches' brooms' on northern conifers (Clarke, 1942) and on one occasion from an owl nest. Witches' brooms are diseased or mutated masses of dense deformed twigs and foliage that form a nest-like structure on branches. Robinson et al. (2010) list Mistletoe (Phoradendron) as a host, but we are unaware of the literature source for this. It is uncertain if larvae feed directly on plant tissues in witches' brooms, or perhaps on decaying plant material as do many species in the subfamily Symmocinae. Prentice (1966) reported isolated instances of the adults being reared from Black Spruce (Picea mariana) and Colorado Spruce (P. pungens), but it is uncertain if they were feeding on the plant tissue or on witches' brooms. The feeding ecology of this species in North Carolina is undocumented.	The adults are attracted to lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR [S4S5]
Hellinsia paleaceus Ironweed Plume Moth MONA_number: 6207.00				Larvae reportedly feed on ironweeds (Vernonia spp.) (Matthews & Lott, 2005). In North Carolina, we have feeding records for Giant Ironweed (V. gigantea) and New York Ironweed (V. noveboracensis).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Elachista illectella None MONA_number: 1129.00	Elachista is a large genus of small moths that occur worldwide. Around 135 Nearctic species are currently recognized. They specialize on monocots and most feed on either grasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae).	This is a minute fuscous to black-and-white moth, with the females darker and more boldly marked than the males. A narrow white band is located at the middle of the wing and a broken white band also occurs in the subterminal area (Braun, 1948). Both sexes have a whitish spot at the apex (rarely not present) that helps to distinguish them from similar species, and the males have long yellowish white hairs on the last abdominal segments. The following detailed description is based on Braun (1948). The adults are sexually dimorphic, with the females noticeably darker than the males. In both sexes, the head is fuscous and speckled with dark gray, while the face is sometimes paler and more or less silvery. The labial palps are fuscous, but paler and sometimes whitish above, with a black spot at the base of the third segment. The antenna is dark fuscous with narrow paler annulations. The forewing of the male is fuscous overall. The bases of the scales are grayish white and the tips darker, which creates an overall grainy appearance to the wing. Just before the middle there is a slightly oblique, irregular, narrow fascia that is sometimes much reduced and indicated only by a broken line. At two-thirds the wing length, there is a white costal and an opposite dorsal spot that are occasionally obsolete. A few black scales usually separate their apices. The cilia are fuscous and whitish around the apex, while the marginal scales projecting into them are conspicuously black-tipped. The forewing of the female is darker than that of the male and more evenly dark brown or black. When irrorated, it tends to be paler before the fascia, especially in the late fall and early spring generations. The fascia is broad and silvery white, while the dorsal and costal spots are silvery white and never reduced in size. In general, the female has whiter and more boldly contrasting marks than the male. The cilia is fuscous, with white around the apex. The black-tipped marginal scales are white at the base around the apex, and form a more or less conspicuous white transverse mark in the cilia. The hindwing and cilia are fuscous and darker in the female. The legs are gray, and the hind tibia has a white band before the middle and at the apex. The abdomen is fuscous. Elachista irrorata and E. illectella are easily confused. Both males and females of E. irrorata are distinctly black-and white and lack an apical white spot on the forewing. Female E. illectella closely resemble the males and females of E. irrorata, but can be distinguished by the whitish spot at the apex (absent in E. irrorata).	The adults can be found in a variety of habitats that range from fields, meadows, and roadsides to forested sites with woodland grasses.	The larvae are polyphagous and feed on several genera of grasses (Braun, 1948). The known hosts include Kentucky Blue Grass (Poa pratensis) and other Poa species, Common Timothy (Phleum pratense), Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), and species of Agrostis, Elymus, Festuca, and Bromus (Eiseman, 2022). In North Carolina, mines have been recorded on Sweet Vernal Grass, Lesser Quaking Grass (Briza minor), Sweet Woodreed (Cinna arundinacea), Eastern Bottlebrush-grass (Elymus hystrix), Virginia Wild-rye (Elymus virginicus), Nodding Fescue (Festuca subverticillata), and Common Velvet Grass (Holcus lanatus).	The adults are attracted to lights and the leaf mines can be found by searching grass leaves throughout the year.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [SU]	We currently do not have enough information on the distribution, host plants, or habitat associations of this species to draw any conclusions about its conservation status.
Acleris maculidorsana Stained-back Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 3543.00		This is a distinctively marked Acleris with resting individuals having a silvery-gray, donut-shaped pattern that encloses a horse-shoe-shaped chestnut-brown mark. The palps, head and antennae are silvery-gray and the thorax mostly so except for a thin, faint, chestnut-brown, weakly curved line on the anterior end, and a chestnut-brown spot or short, longitudinal dash on the posterior margin. The forewing has a conspicuous, broad, silvery-gray arc that extends from the wing base and gradually narrows before terminating at or near the inner margin at around one-half the wing length. The region inward from the silvery-gray arc consists of a smaller dark-brown arc along the inner margin, with the proximal end often being continuous with similar-colored marks on the posterior half of the thorax. The area distal to the silvery-gray arc has a chestnut-brown ground colored that is overlain with varying amounts of silvery-gray frosting. The entire wing often has varying degrees of fine, widely-spaced, dark brown speckling, with the specks often evident along the outer margin of the silvery-gray arc. The fringe is silvery-gray and the hindwing varies from tan to light-brown. In North Carolina, A. maculidorsana is most easily confused A. robinsoniana. In A. maculidorsana, the curved line on the anterior edge of the thorax is chestnut-brown, the outer edge of the silvery-gray arc is relatively smooth, the posterior half of the wing is usually overlain with silvery-gray frosting, and the forewing is speckled with fine dark-brown marks. In A. robinsoniana, the line on the anterior edge of the thorax is dark-brown to blackish-brown, the outer edge of the silvery-gray arc is relatively wavy, the posterior half of the wing has little or no silvery-gray frosting, and the forewing has less speckling. In addition, the dark mark along the inner margin on the basal fourth of the wing tends to be arc-shaped in A. maculidorsana versus more triangular-shaped in A. robinsoniana.	Most of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods, and most from sites with mesic hardwood communities present or nearby.	This species is probably polyphagous, but the host records are rather sparse. The reported hosts include Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), St. John's-wort (Hypericum), including Common St. John's-wort (H. perforatum), laurels (Kalmia), and a blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) (Forbes, 1923; Lam et al., 2011; Brown et al., 2008; Wagner et al., 2015). As of 2024, We do not have any feeding records for North Carolina.	The adults are attracted to lights and are attracted to bait.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S3S4]	This species can be locally common in the Blue Ridge at mid- to lower-elevations, but is generally uncommon in the state -- with fewer than 15 site records as of 2024. More information is needed on its habitat preferences and hosts before we can accurately assess its conservation status in North Carolina.
Acleris ptychogrammos None MONA_number: 3509.00		Acleris ptychogrammos in North Carolina can best be identified by its overall ashy-gray appearance, a prominent, short, basal streak, and a chestnut-brown costal triangle that ends with a pair of dark dashes. The palps and head are light brown, while the thorax grades from light brown anteriorly to more ashy-gray posteriorly. The thorax commonly has a curved line of darker scales anteriorly and two small dark spots just before the posterior tip. The basal half of the forewing is mostly ashy-gray, with a well-defined, short, black, basal dash. A very thin longitudinal line of darker scales is often evident between the basal dash and inner margin that may extend all the way to an obliquely curved ridge of raised scale tufts at the midwing. The scale ridge runs from the inner margin and curves to run along the anterior margin of a prominent chestnut-brown costal triangle. The triangle often has varying amounts of ashy-gray scales near the center, and terminates near the center of the wing where there is a pair of short, dark-brown dashes. The remainder of the wing is ashy-gray, but sometimes a shade darker that the basal half. It has a few scattered, short, transverse lines of dark scales, along with scattered tufts of raised scales. The fringe is light-brown and often with patches of diffuse darker spots that continue for a short distance around the apex, while the hindwing varies from brownish-white to light-brown.	Most of our records are from sites with mesic hardwood forests.	The only reported host that we are aware of as of 2024 is based on a single record for Red Twig Dogwood (Swida sericea [ = Cornus sericea] by Obraztsov (1963). Jeff Niznik and David George found an early-instar larva in North Carolina within a webbed shelter on the underside of a Flowering Dogwood (Benthamidia florida [= Cornus florida]).	The adults are attracted to lights. Additional information is needed on host use and the larval ecology in North Carolina and elsewhere.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR[S2S3]	This species appears to be uncommon in North Carolina with only a few site records as of 2024. More information is needed on its hosts and preferred habitats before we can accurately assess its conservation status.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Pseudexentera spoliana Bare-patched Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 3251.00	The genus Pseudexentera currently has 19 recognized species that are found primarily in North and Central America, with 17 recognized species in the US. They are typically found in forested settings and most fly very early in the year. Many are challenging to identify, particularly the species with fasciate forewing patterns that often show substantial intraspecific variation in patterning and have slight differences in genitalia (Miller, 1968; Gilligan et al., 2008). There has been a long history of misidentified species in the group (Miller, 1968) and there is still much confusion about external traits that are useful in sorting out certain closely related forms. DNA barcoding has not proven to be particularly useful in sorting out species since recognized species often have two or more BINS that contain multiple species names. This likely reflects weak genetic differentiation between certain forms and the large numbers of misidentified specimens in collections. Miller (1968) conducted a taxonomic revision and reviewed all of the recognized species in North America, but did not provide detailed descriptions of external coloration, patterning, or intraspecific variation within species. Here, we treat our assignment of the fasciate specimens to species as provisional since they are based on images or pinned specimens that have not been barcoded or dissected to examine genitalia. Even with the latter, specimens cannot always be confidently assigned to species.	Pseudexentera spoliana is one of the fasciate species that has been a source of confusion with respect to identification. The general coloration of the head, thorax, and forewing varies from gray to light brown and the forewing patterning is variable. It is generally similar to certain other forms, particularly P. hodsoni, but the general consensus is that P. spoliana typically has a sub-basal and median fascia that is complete or nearly complete in most specimens, although in some the dorsal half of these is darker and more distinct than the costal half (Gilligan et al., 2008). This species typically does not have the distinct dark wedge-shaped sub-basal fascia on the dorsum that terminates near the mid-wing as seen in P. hodsoni. Certain P. spoliana BOLD specimens with wedge shaped sub-basal fascia -- and that strongly resemble P. hodsoni -- were apparently mislabeled at BOLD and actually are true P. hodsoni (see the P. spoliana account at BugGuide for a detailed discussion). Here, we treat these forms as P. hodsoni. Pseudexentera spoliana typically has a dark, sub-basal fascia or a large dark basal patch that extends to around one-third the wing length and is outwardly angled near the middle. The dark mark is often complete, but on some specimens the costal third or half is fainter than the dorsal portion. A dorsal patch is present just before the tornus that extends from the dorsal margin inward for about one-third of the wing width where it often meets or nearly meets a dark oblique streak that extends from near the middle of the costa. A series of dark streaks are present along the costa that are interspersed with lighter areas. The tarsi are boldly banded and the hindwings are light to medium brown with a paler fringe.	Local populations are generally associated with hardwood or mixed hardwood-pine forests as well as residential neighborhoods with oaks.	The larvae feed on several species of oaks (Miller, 1986; Marquis et al., 2019). Some of the known hosts include White Oak (Q. alba), Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), Post Oak (Q. stellata), and Black Oak (Q. velutina). Larvae also reportedly feed on chestnut (Castanea) (Forbes, 1923; Heinrich, 1923; MacKay, 1959).	The adults are attracted to lights during the early spring months. We need information on host use in North Carolina.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Phigalia strigataria Small Phigalia MONA_number: 6660.00	One of four members of this genus that occur in North America, three of which are found in North Carolina	Phigalia are among the very few geometrids that fly during mid-winter to early spring. Males can be distinguished from Alsophila and Paleacrita, which also fly during this period and are similarly pale gray, by their blackish antemedian, median, and postmedian lines. In Phigalia strigataria, the postmedian line is often fragmentary but definitely toothed, particularly towards the costa. The portion of the postmedian close to the inner margin is usually fairly straight or gently incurved towards the median line but not strongly bulging as in denticulata (Covell, 1984). Strigataria is generally less mottled than Phigalia denticulata and is often tinged with an olive or greenish shade. Females of all three species of Phigalia have stubby, non-functional wings (which are virtually absent in female Alsophila and Paleacrita). Females of strigataria are similar to those of titea but are smaller and browner, "with practically no pale gray scaling on the head, thorax, or wings (Rindge, 1975).	Appears to occupy wetter habitats than the other two species of Phigalia, occurring more often in floodplain forests in both the Coastal Plain and Piedmont. However, it also occurs in maritime scrub habitats and xeric sandhills, although we do not have records from longleaf pine savannas or flatwoods or from peatland habitats. Occurs in wooded residential neighborhoods as well as natural areas.	Larvae are polyphagous on hardwood trees and shrubs. Wagner et al. (2001) specifically list blueberry (Vaccinium), chestnut (Castanea), elm (Ulmus), hazelnut (Corylus), maple (Acer), oak (Quercus), and willow (Salix). In the North Carolina Coastal Plain, J.B. Sullivan has found larvae on Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum), Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis), and Laurel Oak (Q. laurifolia). We also have records for Allegheny Chinquapin (Castanea pumila), Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), and Downy Arrowwood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum).	Adults have short, non-functional mouthparts (Forbes, 1948); consequently, they do not come to bait or show up at flowers. They appear to come fairly well to black lights but usually only in small numbers. There occasionally may be as many as a dozen or more on a single sheet.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S3S4]	This species appears to be broadly distributed in the state and occupies a wide range of habitats. It thus appears to be secure.
Monopis marginistrigella White-blotched Monopis MONA_number: 417.00		The head and head tuft are pale yellowish to yellowish white, and the labial palp yellowish white with brown underneath. The antenna is light brown to brownish yellow above with dark brown annulations. The thorax is dark brown above. The ground color of the forewing is dark brown to blackish and speckled with varying levels of whitish or pale yellow scales. There are two large diffuse patches of whitish scales. The first is mid-way along the costa and extends to near the middle of the wing where a semi-translucent spot is sometimes evident. The second is along the inner margin near the anal angle where the patch extends both into the adjoining dorsal fringe and to about one-third the depth of the wing. The costa has a series of alternating light and dark spots or blotches that are rather obscure before the mid-wing and more pronounced towards the apex. They continue around the apex and termen into the base of the fringe, then terminate at the whitish patch near the anal angle. The hindwing is uniformly brown grayish white with a wide fringe, and the legs have alternate white and dark brown to blackish bands.	This species is very likely a scavenger or detritivore and is not strongly affiliated with a particular habitat type.	The larvae are presumably detritivores, as are closely related species, but the larvae have yet to be discovered.	The adults are attracted to lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	We currently do not have sufficient information on this species to assess its conservation status.
Monopis dorsistrigella Skunkback Monopis MONA_number: 416.00		The following is based in part on the description by Clemens (1859). The head, head tufts, and face are very pale yellow and tinged with dark brown on the sides above the eyes and at the base of the antennae. The labial palp is yellowish and dark brown externally. The antenna is brown and extends to about the dorsal terminal fringe. The thorax is dark brown, with the top very pale yellow to whitish. The forewing ground color is blackish brown to black. A whitish or pale yellowish white streak extends along the inner margin and typically has an inward bulge at about one-half and four-fifths the wing length. A large white to very pale yellow patch occurs at about one-half on the costal half. Smaller dots of similar color occur along the costal margin and become larger and more pronounced in the subapical region. The fringe has a mixture of whitish and brown scales and often has a black line near the middle that is bordered by white above and below. The hindwing is pale brownish to light brownish fuscous and the cilia gray to light fuscous. The legs are dark above with lighter bands near the joints. This species superficially resembles Monopis crocicapitella and Tinea mandarinella, but has a whitish dorsal streak and a well-defined whitish blotch at the mid-wing.	The habitat is largely unknown. The larvae are presumably detritivores and are likely not strongly affiliated with any host plant or community type.	The only reference to the feeding ecology is that of Busck (1903) who found the larvae in bird nests where they were presumably feeding of feathers, fecal material, or other organic debris.	The adults regularly visit lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	We have only five site records as of 2020, which suggests that this species is uncommon in the state. Additional information is needed on the distribution and abundance of this species before we can assess its conservation status.
Tinea mandarinella Mandarin Tinea MONA_number: 400.00		The following descrition is primarily based on Dietz (1905) and Forbes (1923). The head and tuft are pale yellowish and the antenna fuscous. The labial palps are pale yellowish white and tinged with fuscous beneath. The thorax is grayish fuscous to pale yellowish and the tegula deep brown. The forewing is two-toned, with most being dark brown or fuscous with scattered yellowish scales. This contrast with a light yellow, sinuous, longitudinal streak that extends along the inner margin to about three-fifths its length (sometimes extending all the way to the fringe). The streak extends inward to about one-third the wing depth and is often sprinkled with dark brown scales. At about one-third and two-thirds, the dark portion projects into the yellow streak as a semi-circular spot or dark scalloped region. There is a yellow spot or blotch on the costa just before the apex. The cilia are pale yellow, with the basal part concolorous with the wing. The hindwing is light brown and unicolorous. The legs are yellowish and dusted with fuscous, with the tarsal joints spotted with fuscous. The abdomen is fuscous above and paler at the base. Specimens are variable in terms of the degree to which the yellow longitudinal streak continues along the inner margin. On some specimens the streak continues to the fringe and may even fuse with or fade into the yellow costal blotch. Monopis crocicapitella is very similar, but lacks the sub-apical costal blotch and has a semi-hyaline discal spot at the middle of the wing.	The habitats are poorly documented. We have many records from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods, as well as a few from more natural forested sites. The larvae are probably scavengers or detritivores and do not show strong preferences for particular habitat types.	The hosts are unknown. This species is very likely a detritivore, scavenger, or fungivore like many other Tinea species.	The adults visit lights occasionally.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	As of 2020, we have only a few site records for this species. Additional information on its distribution and abundance is needed to assess its conservation status.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Nemapogon angulifasciella Black-patched Nemapogon MONA_number: 262.00	Nemapogon is a genus with approximately 70 named species that reach their greatest diversity in the Old World. There are 17 described species in North America.	The following description is primarily based on Forbes (1923). The head is white with a gray posterior tuft, and half of the third segment of the palp is black. The antenna has a white scape and a pale-colored shaft. The ground color of the forewing is white with scattered dark dusting, and the larger markings are all black. A rather poorly defined dark patch or short streak is present near the wing base that extends from the costa obliquely outward to about the middle of the wing. This is followed by a small dark costal spot at about one fourth. The most conspicuous mark is a heavy angulated median fascia that extends to below the fold and sometimes weakly even to the inner margin. Just posterior to the angulated fascia there is a small, but well-defined, dark costal spot. The outer part of the wing has a central dark patch or other dark mottling. There is a row of small, dark, elongated spots or streaks that begins on the inner margin near the tornus. These extends from there along the base of the cilia to the apex.	The larval hosts are unknown. Many of our specimens are from wooded or semi-wooded habitats.	Many species in this genus feed on fungi that decompose rotting wood (Lawrence and Powell, 1969), but we are unaware of any adults being reared from fungi to date.	The adults are attracted to black lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU
Adoneta pygmaea None MONA_number: 4683.00	The genus Adoneta contains four recognized species in North America, with all but one occurring in North Carolina.	Adoneta pygmaea is the smallest of our slug moths, with a wing expanse of only 14-15 mm (Grote and Robinson, 1868). The head, thorax, palps, and antennae vary from reddish or orangish-tan to a darker reddish-brown. The thorax is covered with long hairs, and the legs tend to be a slightly darker shade, with the front and insides more blackish. The forewing is rounded -- with a ground color typically concolorous with the head and thorax – and is marked with two whitish lines. The first extends from the inner margin at about one-third the length from the base to the tornus. It curved slightly posteriorly before terminating near the middle of the wing. The second extends from the costa at about four-fifths and parallels the termen before ending near the middle of the wing. The fringe tends to be concolorous with the wing in light forms and dark brown in the darker forms. The hindwing is similar in color to the forewing, but of a lighter shade.	Our records are from the Sandhills, one near the interface of a xeric Longleaf Pine forest and a headwater riparian hardwood forest and the other from an old farm located on a flat.	The larval host plants are undocumented.	The adults are attracted to lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S1]	This species appears to be rare in North Carolina. We have only two specimens from the Sandhills, with the nearest known record from southeastern Georgia. We are uncertain if a viable population exists in the Sandhills.
Adaina bipunctatus Two-dotted Plume Moth MONA_number: 6155.00				Larvae reportedly feed on composites, including Verbesina and several tropical genera in the Asteraceae (Gielis, 2011).
Adaina ambrosiae Ragweed Plume Moth MONA_number: 6160.00				Beadle and Leckie (2018) list ragweed (Ambrosia) and aster (Symphyotrichum) as hosts. Matthews et al. (1990) also list non-native species of sunflower (Helianthus). The hosts that are utilized in North Carolina are unknown.
Acronicta tritona Triton Dagger MONA_number: 9211.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta tritona is a member of Species Group II of Forbes (1954), which includes 17 additional species in North Carolina.	The ground color is dark violet gray, with brown shading over the reniform and following the postmedian line (Forbes, 1954). The basal line is black, thin, and branched. The anal dash is also black and usually prominent but the apical dash is missing. The antemedian is poorly defined or absent. The postmedian is single, black, and weakly toothed with a deep indentation at the fold. The orbicular is very small and the reniform is brown bordered anteriorly with a black curved line. The hindwing is fuscous.	Coastal Plain records come mainly from savannas, flatwoods, and sand ridges with only a few from blackwater swamps and pocosins. Piedmont and Mountain records come almost entirely from dry ridges.	Larvae feed on heaths, particularly blueberries (Vaccinium), but also on azaleas (Rhododendron) and possibly other heaths (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, the species has been recorded feeding on Coastal Azalea (Rhododendron atlanticum), and J.B. Sullivan reared a larva from Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S3S4]
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Acronicta tristis Sad Dagger MONA_number: 9247.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. This species is placed in subgenus Lepitoreuma by Schmidt and Anweiler (2020), and in the Increta Species Group. Other members of this group in North Carolina include Acronicta albarufa, A. ovata, A. modica (=haesitata), A. immodica (=modica), A. increta, and A. exilis.	A medium-sized, dark gray Dagger. The ground color is ash-gray to coal black, without any tinge of green or yellow (Forbes, 1954). The basal area is darker than the rest of the wing and the pattern of lines and spots is similar to other members of the Modica group, particularly the Acronicta increta complex. Dark phase specimens of A. increta are especially difficult to distinguish from A. tristis, but usually have some tinge of green or are else a paler gray (Forbes, 1954; Rings et al., 1992).	Acronicta tristis appears to be less tolerant of xeric habitats than other members of the Increta Species Group (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). Except for two low-elevation Piedmont sites, our records come from cool, mesic hardwood forests in the Mountains and from higher monadnocks in the western Piedmont.	Larvae have been recorded on oak (Quercus) and beech (Fagus) (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SNR [S2S3]
Acronicta spinigera Nondescript Dagger MONA_number: 9235.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. This species is placed in subgenus Agriopodes by Schmidt and Anweiler, and in the Hasta Species Group. Other members of this group in North Carolina include Acronicta hamamelis, A. lithospila, A. innotata, A. betulae, A. radcliffei, A. hasta, A. interrupta, A. laetifica, A. superans, A. morula, and A. lobeliae.	The ground color is powdery light gray with only a small amount of brown in the subterminal area (Forbes, 1954). A fine black basal dash is present that extends out to the antemedian where it has forks connecting to both the inner and outer portion of that line. The apical and anal dashes are also very fine and sharp. The antemedian is double with the inner and outer lines about equally strong. The postmedian is strongly dentate and also double, although the inner line is more indistinct except towards the inner margin. The subterminal is formed by a series of diffuse whitish spots, with the one at the anal angle the strongest. The orbicular is large, fairly round, and filled with the pale gray ground color. The reniform is usually darkly shaded, with a dark median line extending across it from the costa. The hindwings are evenly fuscous-gray and only slightly darker than the forewings. This species is similar to several other members of the hasta group, but lacks the dash between the orbicular and reniform that is usually present in Acronicta hasta, A. laetifica, and A. lobeliae. Compared to A. interrupta, the forewing is more mottled, rather than the smooth gray of A. interrupta; its reniform is also larger and its wings are generally broader (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). Acronicta clarescens is also similar, particularly in specimens that lack the distinctive yellow thoracic tuft. The dashes in that species, however, are usually more diffusely smudged rather than narrow and sharply defined as they are in spinigera.	Our records come mainly from cove forests and high elevation forests in the mountains	Larvae have apparently not been observed in the wild (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), but captive-reared larvae appear to prefer basswood (Tilia), with elm (Ulmus) and apple (Malus) also accepted (Wagner et al., 2011). Covell (1984) also lists cherry (Prunus) and blackberry (Rubus) as hosts, but which (if any) of these species are used in North Carolina is unknown.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 SNR [S3S4]
Acronicta rubricoma Hackberry Dagger MONA_number: 9199.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta rubricoma belongs to Forbes's Group I, which in North Carolina also includes A. americana, A. hastulifera, A. dactylina, and A. lepusculina.	A medium-large Dagger with pale gray to darker brownish-gray forewings. The antemedian and postmedian are double, with a white filling. The antemedian is strongly looped, with particularly long loops located on the lower half of the wing. The orbicular is usually ocellate -- pale with a darker gray center. The reniform is large, horseshoe-shaped and marked with a dark shade. The veins in the subterminal area characteristically have heavy dark lines, typically originating from black dots on the subterminal (Forbes, 1954). Hindwings are gray with darker veins and a dark postmedian band. Acronicta americana, A. hastulifera, and A. dactylina are similar in pattern but are larger and have a generally smoother appearance. A. impleta is similar in size and color and also has an ocellate orbicular and darkened reniform. However, it has narrower wings and either lacks or has more obscure subterminal dashes. A. impleta also has more uniformly colored hindwings, lacking the postmedian band found in A. rubricoma.	Piedmont records come primarily from rich bottomland forests. Mountain records, however, come mainly from upland forests.	Larvae feed on hackberry (Celtis) species as well as elm (Ulmus) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have recorded the species feeding on Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) and Common Hackberry (C. occidentalis).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 SNR [S2S4]
Acronicta retardata Retarded Dagger MONA_number: 9251.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta retardata was included in the Modica Species Group (Group IV) by Forbes (1954) but has been placed in a separate, monotypic subgenus, Dossena, by Schmidt and Anweiler (2020), based on distinctive larval and male reproductive characters.	A small, gray Dagger with few distinctive markings. The ground color is light to medium gray and lacks the greenish, brownish, or reddish shadings found in the increta group, which otherwise look similar (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). A small, blackish triangular spot located at the junction between the basal dash and antemedian line is the most distinctive marking.	Our records come mainly from wet-to-mesic hardwood forests.	Larvae feed on a wide range of maples, including Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Silver Maple (A. saccharinum), Sugar Maple (A. saccharum), and Box-elder (A. negundo) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, the species has been recorded feeding on Red Maple, Florida Maple (A. floridanum), and Box-elder.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S4S5]	This species is found throughout the state where it is associated with common host plants in habitats that are also still common. Consequently, it appears to be secure in North Carolina.
Acronicta radcliffei Radcliffe's Dagger MONA_number: 9209.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta radcliffei is a member of Species Group II of Forbes (1954), which includes 17 additional species in North Carolina.	A medium-sized, pale gray Dagger with a distinctive pattern of fine black lines. The ground color is a smooth pale gray without any conspicuous brown shading. The basal area is crossed on the inner side by linear black dashes that extend outward past the antemedian. The antemedian is also narrow and black, bordered outwardly with a band of gray that is paler than the ground color. This line intersects the basal dashes at a right angle, with the outer portion running to the costa. Unique among our species of Acronicta, the inner portion of the antemedian runs a slanted to slightly excurved course to the inner margin. The postmedian is also quite distinct, consisting of a fairly smooth black line bordered on the anterior side by a pale gray band. From the costa, it forms a wide, smooth arc beyond the cell, followed by a couple of small teeth at the cubitus and then forming a smooth inward curve to the inner margin, where it is intersected by a black anal dash. No apical dash is present, however. Both the orbicular and reniform are large, filled with the ground color and partially outlined in black. The hindwings are fuscous. Acronicta interrupta and A. spinigera are similar in size and appearance but have more strongly dentate, doubled postmedian lines, spots that are more completely outlined with black, and usually well-marked apical dashes.	Schmidt and Anweiler (2020) describe the habitat of this species as primarily dry woodlands, forest edges, and shrublands. However, our records also include a number of mesic forests.	Larvae are oligophagous, feeding on cherry and other woody members of the Rosaceae. Wagner et al. (2011) list apple (Malus), chokecherry (Aronia), hawthorn (Crataegus), mountain-ash (Sorbus), and serviceberry (Amelanchier). The HOSTS database also lists ash (Fraxinus), elm (Ulmus), and willow (Salix) (Robinson et al., 2010). In North Carolina, we have observed the species feeding on Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) and American Mountain-ash (Sorbus americana).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S3S4]
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Acronicta modica Hesitant Dagger MONA_number: 9244.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. This species is placed in subgenus Lepitoreuma by Schmidt and Anweiler, and in the Increta Species Group. Other members of this group in North Carolina include Acronicta albarufa, A. ovata, A. exilis, A. immodica (=modica), A. increta, and A. tristis.	A medium-sized, nearly uniform gray Dagger. The ground color of the forewings is bluish gray, but with small patches of yellowish- or greenish-brown sometimes present, especially in the area between the orbicular and reniform, but not widely suffused across the wing as in A. immodica. The basal area is not darker than the rest of the wing but the antemedian line is typically dark and conspicuous as is the basal dash; as in ovata, the antemedian can be incomplete, not reaching the costa (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). The other transverse lines are weakly edged and the anal dash is often diffuse or obscure. Hindwings are pale fuscous. Acronicta immodica is similar in size and pattern but usually has a more diffuse yellowish tinge across the forewings, a less contrasting antemedian line, and sharper and more conspicuous anal dashes (Forbes, 1954; Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). Neither A. modica (=haesitata) nor A. immodica has a reddish shade at the reniform, unlike specimens of A. albarufa, A. ovata, A. exilis, or A. increta.	Most of our records come from mesic hardwood forests.	Larvae feed mainly on oaks, particularly White Oak (Quercus alba), but have also been reported (but needing confirmation) on beech (Fagus) and chestnut (Castanea) (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S4S5]
Acronicta longa Long-winged Dagger MONA_number: 9264.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta longa is a member of Species Group V of Forbes (1954), which in North Carolina also includes A. impleta, A. noctivaga, A. impressa, A. oblinita, A. lanceolaria, and A. sinescripta.		Wagner et al. (2011) list dry woods, barrens, prairies, and dry fields as habitats used by this species. Most of our records in the Coastal Plain match that description, coming from dune grasslands, savannas, flatwoods, and sand ridges. In the Mountains, however, our records come from alluvial forests, coves, and high elevation hardwood forests. Piedmont records are sparse but come from lakeshores and mesic slopes.	Larvae feed on a wide range of hardwoods, shrubs, and vines. Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), cherry (Prunus), oak (Quercus), rose (Rosa), blackberry (Rubus), and willow (Salix). In North Carolina, we have a feeding record for firethorn (Pyracantha), but more research is needed to determine which host species are utilized in our state.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S3S4]
Acronicta innotata Unmarked Dagger MONA_number: 9207.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta innotata is a member of Species Group II of Forbes (1954), which includes 17 additional species in North Carolina.		The majority of our records come from cove forests or northern hardwood forests.	Larvae are reported to feed primarily on birches (Betula spp.), but have also been recorded on hickory (Carya), poplar (Populus), mountain-ash (Sorbus), Fire Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica), and serviceberry (Amelanchier) - all constituents of northern hardwoods - plus several others associated with mesic or wet habitats. We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S4S5]
Acronicta increta Eclipsed Oak Dagger MONA_number: 9249.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. This species is placed in subgenus Lepitoreuma by Schmidt and Anweiler (2020), and in the Increta Species Group. Other members of this group in North Carolina include Acronicta albarufa, A. ovata, A. modica (=haesitata), A. immodica (=modica), A. exilis, and A. tristis.	A medium-sized dagger. The ground color varies from pale gray (form inclara) to dark gray with a greenish or olive cast (typical increta) (Forbes, 1954). In addition to having a dark basal dash and antemedian line, most of the basal area is conspicuously darker than the median portion of the wing, giving this species a bicolored appearance. The antemedian line is double and extends from the base of the wing all the way to the costa (in A. ovata, the antemedian typically fades out before reaching the costa); a yellowish spot or patch is usually visible at the base of the inner margin. The subtornal dash found in other members of this group is weak or absent but a dark wedge is often present that extends from the outer margin in along the fold. The orbicular is outlined with pale gray, with a spot of the same color in the center; otherwise the filling consists of the ground color and the orbicular overall does not strongly contrast with the rest of the median area. The reniform is larger but similar in outline, and usually is marked with reddish or greenish. The hindwings are fuscous with darker veins. Most other Acronicta species are not as bicolored in appearance as A. increta. Acronicta tristis, however, is very similar in wing pattern but lacks the greenish cast found in the dark forms of A. increta (Forbes, 1954).	Wagner (2005) lists barrens, woodlands, and forests as habitat. Our record come mainly from mesic rather than dry sites.	Larvae have been reported from chestnut (Castanea), oaks (Quercus), hazel (Corylus), and birch (Betula) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have observed the species feeding on White Oak (Quercus alba) and American Beech (Fagus grandifolia).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]
Acronicta impleta Yellow-haired Dagger MONA_number: 9257.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta impleta is a member of Species Group V of Forbes (1954), which in North Carolina also includes A. noctivaga, A. impressa, A. longa, A. oblinita, A. lanceolaria, and A. sinescripta.	The ground color is typically powdery gray and even, lacking strong dark markings or shadings; a melanic form exists, however. The basal, anal, and subapical dashes are absent (Forbes, 1954). The orbicular and reniform are usually completely outlined with a fine black border and are filled with the ground color with a darker center. The antemedian is scalloped, double and filled with the ground color. The postmedian is the most contrasting marking on the forewing: dentate, white-filled and with two lunules in the fold. The subterminal is also represented by a series of white spots. The hindwings are dirty luteous with dark veins and border and lack a defined postmedian line or shade.	Wagner et al. (2011) lists fields, woodlands, and forests as habitat. Our records come from the full range of hardwood forests and woodlands that exist in North Carolina, from maritime forests, sandhill scrub, bottomland hardwoods, mesic slopes, and high elevation forests. We do not, however, have records from shrubby peatlands or shrubby maritime dunes.	Larvae feed on a wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs. Wagner (2005) lists alder (Alnus), ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), blueberry (Vaccinium), cherry (Prunus), dogwood (Cornus), elm (Ulmus), hickory (Carya), maple (Acer), mountain-ash (Sorbus), oak (Quercus), Sassafras, tupelo (Nyssa), walnut (Juglans), and willow (Salix). In North Carolina, we have observed the species feeding on oak, including Willow Oak (Q. phellos) and Black Oak (Q. velutina), and have seen larvae on a variety of other hardwood trees, including ash and Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). J.B. Sullivan also reared a larva from Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Acronicta hasta Speared Dagger MONA_number: 9229.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. This species is placed in subgenus Agriopodes by Schmidt and Anweiler, and in the Hasta Species Group. Other members of this group in North Carolina include Acronicta hamamelis, A. lithospila, A. innotata, A. betulae, A. radcliffei, A. interrupta, A. laetifica, A. spingigera, A. superans, A. morula, and A. lobeliae.	This species is similar in pattern to other members of this group but has a generally darker gray ground color, thicker and more diffuse basal and subtornal dashes, and darker gray filling of the orbicular spot and subterminal line (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). Dissection may be needed to separate melanic members of this group.	According to Wagner (2005), habitats include fields, power line rights-of-way, and woodlands. Our records come mainly from upland habitats, but we also have them from the barrier islands, Coastal Plain swamp forests, and peatlands.	Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) and other species of Prunus (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have only observed the species feeding on Black Cherry.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]
Acronicta fragilis Fragile Dagger MONA_number: 9241.00	One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta fragilis is a member of Species Group II of Forbes (1954), which includes 17 additional species in North Carolina.	A strongly marked species, often completely marked in black and white (Forbes, 1954), but with the white sometimes replaced with gray or grayish brown in North Carolina specimens. The antemedial and postmedial lines are both white and strongly scalloped to dentate. A medial line, if present is usually dark and merges with the inner line of the reniform. In paler specimens, a dark basal dash is present, along with a dark dash in the fold between the antemedial and medial lines. The subterminal area is typically jet black and a series of dark terminal spots is usually present. Both the orbicular and reniform spots are white or pale gray. The hindwings are also white. Acronicta noctivaga is similarly marked with contrasting black and white patches but has a dark rather than pale reniform.	Schmidt and Anweiler (2020) describe this species as associated with cool, temperate, moist-to-wet woodland habitats. Our records come from alluvial and cove forests at low elevations in the Mountains and more commonly in high elevation forests.	Larvae feed on a wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs. Species in the Rosaceae seem to be preferred, with members of the Betulaceae also commonly used (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). Wagner et al. (2011) specifically list alder (Alnus), apple (Malus), beech (Fagus), birch (Betula), cherry and plum (Prunus), mountain-ash (Sorbus), rose (Rosa), serviceberry (Amelanchier), and willow (Salix).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S4S5]
Acrolophus simulatus None MONA_number: 381.00	The genus Acrolophus is a mostly neotropical taxon with over 250 described species, including 54 that are currently recognized in North America. The labial palps on the males of many species are very elongated and densely hairy. The larvae of some species live in silk-lined burrows in the ground and feed on the roots and young shoots of grasses and herbs. However, the life histories of most species remain undocumented and in need of study. Members of this genus were previously placed in their own family (Acrolophidae), but they are now treated as a subgroup within the Tineidae based on molecular phylogenetic studies.	This is a relatively small species of Acrolophus that is similar in size to A. piger and A. forbesi. The head is rough with brownish scales and the bushy, labial palp of the male is recurved over the head. It extends onto the thorax, but terminates before reaching the posterior edge. The second joint is very long and roughly clothed with projecting scales beneath. The third joint is about half as long as the second, brushlike, and with very long diverging scales. The antenna is slightly pubescent and simple, but may appear to be somewhat serrated on both sides. The forewing has alternating brown and whitish ocherous patches, with the brown patches taking the form of two angulated bands. Raised bluish-fuscous scales are scattered throughout, but especially in the darker patches (Hasbrouck, 1964). The hindwing and cilia are dull brown. Females have prominent palps that project forward. This species is similar to A. cressoni, but is smaller and the labial palps extend onto the thorax.	Recent records in North Carolina come from sand ridge habitats, including one site that is dry to xeric and one that includes a White Cedar stand located adjacent to dry slopes.	The hosts are undocumented. Heppner (2007) reports grasses are used as hosts, but it is unclear if this is based on actual observation or just inferred based on the hosts of other Acrolophus species.	The few records that exist are from captures at lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S1S3	This species appears to be rare in North Carolina and throughout much of its range.
Acrolophus piger Piger Grass Tubeworm Moth MONA_number: 371.00	The genus Acrolophus is a mostly neotropical taxon with over 250 described species, including 54 that are currently recognized in North America. The labial palps on the males of many species are very elongated and densely hairy. The larvae of some species live in silk-lined burrows in the ground and feed on the roots and young shoots of grasses and herbs. However, the life histories of most species remain undocumented and in need of study. Members of this genus were previously placed in their own family (Acrolophidae), but they are now treated as a subgroup within the Tineidae based on molecular phylogenetic studies.	The following is based in part on Dyer's original description (see Hasbrouck, 1964). The palp is erect, terminates above the vertex, is free from the front of the head, and is rather smoothly scaled. The thorax has a raised crest and is usually darker than the ground color of the forewings. The forewing ground color and patterning is variable, with the ground varying from reddish brown to light gray. There are dark brown to blackish specks and/or fine, short, transverse striations scattered throughout. A dark somewhat triangular blotch is usually present over the center of the wing that is widest at the costa (sometimes extending as far as to the subapical area) and narrows inwardly before terminating just before the inner margin. The anterior and posterior margins are often faintly mottled with blackish specks. Light gray forms often have the central triangular mark reduced or even missing. The hindwing is brown to blackish and darker than the forewing. Acrolophus forbesi is externally similar to A. piger but is distantly related and can be easily separated using genitalia. In addition, the structure of the antenna and eye can be used to separate the two. In A. piger the eye is rather densely clothed with erect setae, and each antennal segment is completely encircled by at least one ring of scales. In A. forbesi, the eye has relatively few very short setae, and each antennal segment is clothed only dorsad or dorsolaterad with scales.	The hosts and associated habitats are undocumented.	The hosts are undocumented. Heppner (2003) listed 'grass' for this and most other Acrolophus species, but did not provide specifics.	The adults are attracted to lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S3	This species is near the northern limit of its range in North Carolina and appears to be rare in the state. However, more information on its distribution and habitat requirements are needed before we can assess its conservation status.
Acrolophus mortipennella Long-horned Grass Tubeworm Moth MONA_number: 366.00	The genus Acrolophus is a mostly neotropical taxon with over 250 described species, including 54 that are currently recognized in North America. The labial palps on the males of many species are very elongated and densely hairy. The larvae of some species live in silk-lined burrows in the ground and feed on the roots and young shoots of grasses and herbs. However, the life histories of most species remain undocumented and in need of study. Members of this genus were previously placed in their own family (Acrolophidae), but they are now treated as a subgroup within the Tineidae based on molecular phylogenetic studies.	The recurved labial palps extend back over the head to the end of the thorax. They are well-raised above the head and are thickly scaled, but not plumose as seen in many Acrolophus. The palps tend to be relatively dark outwardly along the sides, and more whitish on the inside. The eyes are setose, and the adults lack the conspicuous, densely hairy, head vestiture that is present on many Acrolophus species. The head, thorax, and ground color of the forewing are dirty white. The forewing is heavily dusted with black scales on the costal region along the basal fourth. The dusting fades outwardly from there, and is usually replaced by a series of fine dark spots along the costa. Four subterminal spots are often evident along the costa that are larger than those anteriorly. Several larger dark blotches also occur on the forewing that vary in size and development between individuals. These include one at the outer end of the cell, and another at the submedian fold at about the middle of the wing. The hindwings are dark fuscous and noticeably darker than the pallid forewings. The females are similar, but have short palps that project forward. This species is smaller than A. plumifrontella. It is easily recognized by its pallid, dirty-white forewings, and the non-plumose palps of males that are raised high above the head.	The habitats are poorly documented, but include agricultural fields, meadows, fencerows and other open, sunny habitats where grasses abound.	The larvae are root specialists that feed on grasses, including corn. Heppner (2007) reports grasses are used as hosts, but it is unclear if this is based on actual observation or just inferred based on the hosts of other Acrolophus species. We currently have very little information on the native grasses that are used.	The adults are attracted to lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	This species appears to be rare in the state even though it does well in agricultural areas.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Acrolophus forbesi Forbes' Grass Tubeworm Moth MONA_number: 353.00	The genus Acrolophus is a mostly neotropical taxon with over 250 described species, including 54 that are currently recognized in North America. The labial palps on the males of many species are very elongated and densely hairy. The larvae of some species live in silk-lined burrows in the ground and feed on the roots and young shoots of grasses and herbs. However, the life histories of most species remain undocumented and in need of study. Members of this genus were previously placed in their own family (Acrolophidae), but they are now treated as a subgroup within the Tineidae based on molecular phylogenetic studies.	The following is based on the description by Hasbrouck (1964). In the male, the head, labial palp, and thorax are grayish white and tinged with fuscous. The labial palp is intermediate in length and recurved back over the head to the anterior margin of the thorax. The palps are closely appressed to the head and to each other, with the segmentation obscured by a rather dense covering of coarse scales. The eyes are large and protruding, and rather sparsely furnished with very short setae that are moderately lashed. The antennae is simple, ocherous, and covered dorsad with scales. It is densely clothed lateroventrad with minute setae, and the segmental processes are robust and set closely together throughout the antenna. The forewing is grayish brown and intricately sprinkled with fuscous, ocherous, and pale red. It often has four or five large, grayish white patches, but the pattern is variable and commonly obscure or reduced. The hindwing and fringes are dark brown, and the abdomen brown, wirh rather coarse scales. The females are similar in coloration to the males, but the labial palps are slightly shorter than those of the males. They are directed downward and slightly forward, are rather narrowly separated from each other, and are clothed with elongate, slender scales. The eyes are similar to those of males, but are somewhat smaller. Acrolophus piger is externally similar but is distantly related and can be easily separated using the genitalia. In addition, the structure of the antennae and eyes can be used to separate the two. In A. piger the eyes are rather densely clothed with erect setae, and each antennal segment is completely encircled by at least one ring of scales. In A. forbesi, the eyes have relatively few very short setae, and each antennal segment is clothed only dorsad or dorsolaterad with scales.	The habitats are undocumented.	The hosts are poorly documented. Heppner (2007) reports grasses, but it is unclear if this is based on actual observation or just inferred based on the hosts of other Acrolophus species.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S2S3]
Chionodes fuscomaculella White-spotted Chionodes MONA_number: 2079.00	The genus Chionodes is the most species rich genus of gelechiid moths in the Western Hemisphere, with 187 recognized species. Our knowledge of the diverse array of species in North America is largely due to the monumental work of Hodges (1999), who spend decades working on the group and described 115 new species (Powell and Opler, 2009). Many exhibit substantial variation within species and have drab coloration, typically with brown, dark gray, or blackish patterning on the forewings. These can only be confidently identified by examining secondary sexual characteristics and/or the genitalia of one or both sexes. Others are more boldly marked and can be identified by wing patterning. Many of our state records are based on Hodges (1999) database of over 19,000 specimens that he examined from major collections in the US. These include North Carolina specimens that he collected mostly from Highlands, and from a few other areas within the state.	The head and thorax are brownish to dark gray and similar to the ground color of the forewing. The antenna has alternating pale and blackish or fuscous bands. The second segment and base of third segment of the labial palp is mainly off-white, while much of the third segment except the extreme tip is heavily dusted with fuscous to blackish scales. The forewing has a grainy brownish to dark gray ground color that is overlain with darker blotches and pale-yellow to pale-orange spots. A small pale spot is usually present at the base of inner margin and immediately posterior to the thorax when the wings are folded. A pale costal spot is present at four-fifths the wing length that adjoins a darker spot anteriorly. The pale spot often has a matching pale dorsal spot, and the two are sometimes connected by a thin pale line to create a complete fascia at four-fifths. A dark, oblique band or blotch is usually present that begins on the costa at about two-fifths and slants posteriorly before terminating just before the inner margin. This is sometimes represented as an irregular blotch or series of two or three smaller blotches. A series of small pale-yellow or pale-orange spots or scales, along with larger dark blotches, are usually present in addition to the marks described above. Hodges (1999) noted that at least part of the wing has scales with dark-colored scale bases. The legs have alternating pale and blackish bands, with pale scale tufts. This species is similar to several other Chionodes, and the genitalia offer little help in distinguishing between closely related forms. In the East, C. fuscomaculella and C. bicostomaculella are most easily confused. Hodges (1999) noted that C. bicostomaculella tends to have the scales of the upper surface shades of black, gray, and white with a slight bluish-gray cast. This species almost always lacks any yellow scales, whereas specimens of C. fuscomaculella usually has pale-yellow scales at least on the basal two-thirds of the wing. In addition, the forewing usually has a warm, slightly yellowish hue. The larvae are distinctive, and the adults can be easily reared from larvae.	Local populations depend on hardwood forests where they feed on oaks, chestnut, and other hardwoods. Most of our records are from mesic sites in the mountains, although oaks that grow on drier sites are frequently used as hosts elsewhere.	The larvae are polyphagous (Hodges, 1999; Robinson et al., 2010; Marquis et al., 2019). They feed primarily on oaks, but have also been reared from a hickory (Carya sp.), American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), and American Beech (Fagus grandifolia). Oaks that are used include White Oak (Quercus alba), Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Shingle Oak (Q. imbricaria), Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa), Chinquapin Oak (Q. muehlenbergii), Pin Oak (Q. palustris) and Willow Oak (Q. phellos). As of 2024, we have one record for White Oak.	The adults are attracted to lights, and the distinctive larvae can be found within leaf ties on oaks and other hosts.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S2S4	Our records are based on identifications by Hodges (1999). While we have no recent records, this species is common throughout the eastern US, and populations in North Carolina are likely to be secure.
Acrobasis juglandis Pecan Leaf Casebearer Moth MONA_number: 5661.00			North Carolina records come from cove forests in the Mountains and rich alluvial forests in the Piedmont. Coastal Plain records may come from cultivated Pecans but are located in areas close to brownwater river floodplains where Black Walnuts would be present.	Larvae feed on members of the Juglandaceae (Heinrich, 1956; Prentice, 1966; Neunzig, 1972). The reported hosts include Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) and other hickories, Butternut (Juglans cinerea), and Black Walnut (J. nigra).			GNR S2S3
Acrobasis elyi None MONA_number: 5666.00			Our records are all historic and lack habitat information except for the fact that the larvae were collected on Mockernut Hickory.	The preferred larval host appears to be Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa) (Neunzig, 1972; Eiseman, 2022).			GNR SHS1	Known only from historic records but probably undersurveyed.
Acrobasis cunulae MONA_number: 5685.00				Larvae reportedly feed on hickories (Carya spp.), including Pecan (C. illinoinensis) (Robinson et al., 2010).
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Acrobasis caryalbella None MONA_number: 5660.00			Our records currently come from just a few riparian sites. Given its recorded host plants, however, it probably occurs in both dry and mesic stands of oak-hickory forests.	Larvae feed on hickories, including Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata), Mockernut Hickory (C. tomentosa), and Pignut Hickory (C. glabra) (Neunzig, 1972).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4
Acrobasis betulivorella None MONA_number: 5689.00				Larvae are reported to feed on River Birch (Betula nigra) (Neunzig, 1975). River Birch is not typically found in Ashe County where this species has been collected, but a number had been planted near the collection site. It is also possible that another species of birch (such as Betula alleghaniensis or B. lenta) could be serving as a host in North Carolina.
Acrobasis betulella Birch Tubemaker Moth MONA_number: 5688.00				The larvae feed on members of the Betulaceae and less commonly on members of the Myricaceae (Craighead et al., 1950; Schaffner, 1959; Neunzig, 1972; Prentice, 1966; Pohl et al., 2005; Robinson et al., 2010). The reported hosts include alders (Alnus), Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis), Paper Birch (B. papyrifera), Gray Birch (B. populifolia), hazelnuts (Corylus) and sweet-gales (Myrica).			GNR S1S3
Acleris youngana MONA_number: 3550.00				Larvae reportedly feed on spruce (Picea spp.) (Baker, 1972).
Choristoneura rosaceana Oblique-banded Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 3635.00		The palps, head, antennae, thorax, and ground of the forewing are typically light wood brown to reddish brown. The ground of the forewing is reticulated with distinct, irregular, and nearly transverse, dark brown striae. A basal patch is not present, but there is a narrow antemedian line at about one fourth that extends from the costa to the inner margin. The forewings of males have a small costal fold located at the base of the antemedian line (Forbes, 1923). The most conspicuous mark is a broad, posteriorly oblique, dark reddish-brown band that extends from just before the mid-point on the costa to the sub-tornal area of the inner margin. The only other conspicuous mark is a semi-oval subapical patch on the costa. Both the median band and the postmedian patch are clean-cut. The hindwing is cream-colored in males, and yellowish to orange in females, with both somewhat shaded with gray. In most of our specimens, as well as those illustrated on other websites, a blackish patch is located on the posterior tip of the thorax. This species is often confused with Choristoneura parallela. In C. rosaceana the costal and outer margins are slightly sinuous in the males and more so in the females, while in C. parallela the costal margin is straight in the males and only slightly undulating in the females (Jason Dombroskie; see Bugguide). In addition, a blackish patch is usually present on the posterior tip of the thorax of C. rosaceana, along with a costal fold where the antemedian line meets the costa. Neither of these are present on C. parallela.	Local populations can be found in a variety of habitats such has mesic hardwood and conifer-hardwood forests, wetlands, woodland borders, old fields, and commercial fruit orchards.	The larvae are highly polyphagous and have been found feeding at least 80 species of deciduous trees, conifers, shrubs, annual crops, and weeds (Schaffner, 1959; Prentice 1965, Chapman and Lienk 1971, Gillespie, 1981; Godfrey et al., 1987; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al. 2010; Gilligan and Epstein, 2014; Marquis et al. 2019). Members of the Rosaceae (Amelanchier, Crataegus, Fragaria, Malus, Physocarpus, Prunus, Rubus, Rosa) and oaks (including several Quercus spp.) appear to be important host taxa, but many others are used. These include the following genera: Abies, Acer, Aesculus, Alnus, Ambrosia, Amorpha, Apium, Arctium, Aster, Betula, Carya, Ceanothus, Celtis, Cercis, Cirsium, Comandra, Cornus, Corylus, Dianthus, Fagus, Fraxinus, Geranium, Helianthus, Hypericum, Ilex, Lonicera, Lotus, Ostrya, Phaseolus, Pinus, Pistacea, Populus, Rhododendron, Rubus, Salix, Solidago, Spirea, Syringa, Tamala, Tilia, Trifolium, Typha, Ulmus, Vaccinium, Verbena, and Viburnum. Gilligan and Epstein (2014) provide a comprehensive list of species that are used. In North Carolina, larvae have been reared from Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba), American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), American Hazelnut (Corylus americana), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana; a new host record), White Ash (Fraxinus americana), Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), and Turkey Oak (Quercus laevis).	The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found on apples, oaks, and other host species.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S5	This species is widespread and common in North Carolina and shows no evidence of recent population declines.
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Peoria approximella Carmine Snout Moth MONA_number: 6053.00				The host plants are apparently unknown.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR S3S4
Nemoria bistriaria Red-fringed Emerald MONA_number: 7046.00	One of 35 species in this genus that occur in North America (Ferguson, 1985), nine of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Ferguson (1969) included bistriaria in his Bistriaria Species Group (VIII), which also includes bifilata, rubrifrontaria, and mimosaria in North Carolina, as well as eight others in the West.	A medium-sized Emerald with a reddish-brown winter form and a green summer form. The reddish-brown form is missing in lixaria and may be distinguished from the similar brown form of bifilata by the white mark found on the foretibiae (see Structural Features below). In the green form, the abdomen has a series of white spots, similar to N. lixaria but different from the solid white line found in bifilata. The lines are white and generally more even than in lixaria, particularly the postmedian line, which is usually dentate or waved in lixaria. A narrow red terminal line is present and the fringes may be slightly checkered with red but much less so than in lixaria. Bistriaria also generally lacks the black discal dot present in lixaria (Forbes, 1948), but it can be weakly present in some specimens.	Our records come from virtually all hardwood-dominated forests in the state, ranging from Maritime and Coastal Fringe Evergreen Forests along the Coast, bottomland forests elsewhere in the Coastal Plain, and both riparian and upland hardwood forests in the Piedmont and Mountains. Records are few to absent from Pond Pine Woodlands and Pocosins and from the xeric sandhill habitats in the Coastal Plain.	Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on many species of woody shrubs and trees. Wagner et al. (2001) specifically list birch (Betula), Sweet-fern (Comptonia peregrina), walnut (Juglans), Sweet-gale (Myrica gale), and oak (Quercus).	Comes well to blacklights but we have no records from bait or from flowers	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S4S5]	Given its wide occurrence and use of multiple, common host plants and habitat types across the state, this species appears to be secure in North Carolina.
Zanclognatha theralis Flagged Zanclognatha MONA_number: 8341.00	One of thirteen species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010; 2013; Wagner and McCabe, 2011), all of which have been recorded in North Carolina		Our records come primarily from forested sites, but including both pine and hardwood dominated stands. Few, if any, come from open habitats, including savannas, maritime grasslands, and old fields.	Larvae have been reared from Old Man's Beard (Usnea) (Sigal, cited by Wagner et al., 2011), but other members of this genus typically feed on dead leaves.	Comes to blacklights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G4 SNR [S4S5]
Condica vecors Dusky Groundling MONA_number: 9696.00				Larvae are polyphagous, feeding on several species of forbs, including joe-pye-weeds (Eutrochium), snakeroot (Ageratina), and Dog-fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have found larvae on Dog-fennel.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]
Zanclognatha laevigata Variable Zanclognatha MONA_number: 8345.00	One of thirteen species in this genus that occur in North America north of Mexico (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010; 2013; Wagner and McCabe, 2011), all of which have been recorded in North Carolina.		Our records come almost entirely from mesic forests. In the Mountains, it occurs in riparian and cove forests at lower elevations and northern hardwoods higher up. In the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, it has been found in or near mesic hardwood slopes.	Larvae feed on dead leaves and other detritus (Wagner et al., 2011).		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S4S5]
sciName	taxonomic_comments	id_comments	habitat	food	observation_methods	state_protection	NHP_ranks	status_comments
Paectes abrostoloides Large Paectes MONA_number: 8962.00		The ground color is ash gray, with darker shading over the antemedian and following the postmedian (Forbes, 1954). The antemedian and postmedian are black and doubled. The antemedian has three deep loops, with the middle one bordering a pale basal patch. The postmedian has a strong cusp at the cell and then is incurved to the inner margin. A smaller tooth or bulge is present at vein M3. The hindwings are fuscous with darker veins. This species is much larger than the otherwise similar P. pygmaea and possess the small tooth or bulge on the inner curve of the postmedian that is absent in pygymaea. The overall effect is that the double PM line of P. abrostoloides is represented as two arcs that connect, with the inner one being the larger. In contrast, P. pygmaea has a single, broad arc that span the entire length between the posterior tooth and the inner margin.		Larvae feed on American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) (Forbes, 1954; Wagner et al., 2011), which has been confirmed as the host in North Carolina.		Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 SNR [S5]
Eueretagrotis perattentus Two-spot Dart MONA_number: 11008.00	This genus contains 3 northern New World species that come down the Appalachian Mountains into North Carolina.	The collar is blackish. The ground color of the forewing is duller and smoother than in sigmoides but the cell is blackish, as in that species, but the costa is rarely pale (Forbes, 1954). This is the easiest species to identify because of the strong contrast between the dark forewing (particularly between the orbicular and reniform spots) and the light hindwing (Sullivan, pers. obs.).	Our records come primarily from Northern Hardwood and Spruce-fir Forests above 3200’, but we also have a few records from Cove Forests at lower elevations.	Although captive larvae feed on blueberry (Vaccinium) and Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) (Pogue, 2006; Robinson et al., 2010), no larvae were found during the Canadian Forest Surveys indicating they are probably on low growing forbs. We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina.	Adults come readily to light but we could not find information regarding their attraction to bait or flowers.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	G5 [S3S4]	This species appears to be a specialist on mesic montane forests and may, thus, be at some risk due to the effects of climate change. More needs to be known about its distribution, habitats, and host plants before its conservation status can be accurately determined.
Cenopis directana Chokecherry Leafroller Moth MONA_number: 3722.00	The genus Cenopis has 19 described species. Seventeen of these are restricted to North America, and all 17 occur in the eastern United States (Brown and Sullivan, 2018). Males of Cenopis are easily distinguished from those of Sparganothis by the presence of complex scaling on the frons of the head that forms an unusual “hood” of scales. The males also have a deeply invaginated or folded anal area of the hindwing that bears a distinctive hair pencil.	Cenopis directana exhibits marked phenotypic variation that reflects individual variation, sexual dimorphism, and geographic variation across its broad range (Powell and Brown, 2012). The head, palps, and fore part of the thorax are orange to rusty-brown and the palp often has a tiny white tip. The forewing ground color ranges from cream tan to pale orangish-brown and is reticulated or striated with faint, darker orangish-brown. The reticulations may cover the entire wing or be restricted to the apical one-fourth of the wing. Specimens in the eastern US typically have a pale rusty-red to dark rusty-red ground color that is overlain with purplish-brown patterning. Male often have a distinct, purplish-brown, outwardly directed, median fascia. The fascia is triangular-shaped and widest on the costa, and narrows as it projects to the middle of the dorsal margin. A faint costal patch is also present at around three-fourths that often has lighter spots within. Males can vary from being well marked to showing varying degrees of indistinctness, including individuals that show only a trace of the dark pattern. Females usually have dark rusty-brown forewings with only a faint, shining purplish indication of the male forewing. The hindwing is pale tan to rust tan. In addition to the typical form described above, a pale variant occurs in North Carolina and elsewhere in the eastern US where the males have a whitish to tan or pale-ocherous forewing. The forewing has rusty- or purplish-brown maculation in the same pattern as the typical race described above, but it is expressed consistently and strongly (Powell and Brown, 2012). Females are golden tan and either have a thin, faint pattern like that of the males, or have the pattern reduced to a trace. The hindwing is whitish to pale brown and averages darker in females. The male forewing costal fold is well developed and extends about 0.17 the length of the forewing.	Local populations are typically found in or near hardwood forests, along forest edges, and in early successional habitats. Many of our records are from mesic forests, but also from coastal dune habitats and semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.	The larvae are polyphagous and feed primarily on trees and shrubs (McDunnough, 1933; MacKay, 1962; Prentice, 1966; Godfrey et al., 1987; Wagner et al., 1995; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010; Powell and Brown, 2012; Marquis et al., 2019). Choke Cherry is an important host in northern populations, but many other species are used. The reported hosts include Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), White Birch (Betula populifolia), hickories (Carya), Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis), cotton (Gossypium), walnuts (Juglans), apples (Malus domestica), Western Choke Cherry (Prunus emarginata), Fire Cherry (P. pensylvanica), Choke Cherry (P. virginiana), White Oak (Quercus alba), Scarlet Oak (Q. coccinea), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), Post Oak (Q. stellata), Black Oak (Q. velutina), Hillside Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), and grapes (Vitis). We have one feeding record in North Carolina for Swamp Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora).	The adults are attracted to lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR [S3S4]	We have records for scattered populations across the state, but more information is needed on host use, distribution and abundance before we can accurately assess the conservation status of this species.
Acrolophus arcanella Arcane Grass Tubeworm Moth MONA_number: 340.00	The genus Acrolophus is a mostly neotropical taxon with over 250 described species, including 54 that are currently recognized in North America. The labial palps on the males of many species are very elongated and densely hairy. The larvae of some species live in silk-lined burrows in the ground and feed on the roots and young shoots of grasses and herbs. However, the life histories of most species remain undocumented and in need of study. Members of this genus were previously placed in their own family (Acrolophidae), but they are now treated as a subgroup within the Tineidae based on molecular phylogenetic studies.	The following description is based in part on that in Hasbrouck (1964). The labial palp of the male is intermediate in length relative to other Acrolophus species and extends to the upper head region. It is brown in front and dark brown externally. The antenna is brown and slightly serrated towards the apex. The thorax is dark brown and prominently tufted anteriorly and posteriorly, the vestiture being rough, deep, and very dense like that of the head and palps. The forewing is brownish, with a mixture of finely mottled pale, brown, and blackish specks and blotches. At one-half, there is a blackish, triangular mark, with the apex extending almost to the inner margin, and the base extending to about one-third the wing depth. A pale blotch that often has a matching reverse triangular shape occurs on both the posterior and anterior sides of the dark triangular mark. A dark basal streak extends from the middle of the base to the anterior pale blotch (sometimes incomplete and represented as only a black blotch). At about four-fifths there is a central pale streak that is preceded by a darker blotch. On fresh specimens, there is a series of scattered white scales that are most prominent on the apical one-fourth where they sometimes produce radiating lines of sorts. The fringe is checkered with alternating dark brown and pale patches that extend from the anal angle to the apex, then continue onto the costal margin as a series of smaller spots. The legs are dark with lighter bands near the joints. Females are similar to males, but have short labial palps that project forward. This species is somewhat similar to A. popeanella in terms of coloration and patterning, but the hairy vestiture on the head, thorax, and palps is much coarser and better developed than that of A. popeanella, and the palps of male A. arcanella are shorter. Note the scattered white scales on the forewing of A. arcanella, which are lacking in A. popeanella.	This species is generally associated with more open, sunny habitats such as meadows, hedgerows, gardens and agricultural fields (Forbes, 1890; 1903).	The larvae specialize on the roots of grasses and perhaps certain herbs. The reported hosts include domesticated corn, wheat, and strawberries (Fragaria spp.) (Robinson et al., 2010).	The adults are attracted to lights.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	GNR SU	We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species to assess its conservation status.
Achyra rantalis Garden Webworm Moth MONA_number: 4975.00		The following description is based mostly on those of Capps (1967) and Munroe (1976). The ground color of the forewing can be various shades of orange, brown or fuscous, with the marking slightly darker than the ground color. The reniform spot is conspicuous and much larger than the orbicular spot. The antemedial line is rather smooth and irregularly angulated, while the postmedial line is denticulate and bowed outward on the costal two-thirds. Both lines can be rather weak and diffuse. The post-medial line is often shaded on the outer margin with a thin line of lighter color, and the area between the postmedial line and the termen is often lighter than the general ground color. The terminal line is broken and consists of a line of 7-8 dark spots. The hindwing is often paler than the forewing and the postmedial line, if evident, is diffuse. Females are usually somewhat darker than the males and tend to have stronger markings.	Local populations are commonly found around crop fields, home gardens, road corridors and other disturbed settings.	The larvae are polyphagous and feed on both cultivated and non-cultivated plants (Smith and Franklin ,1954; Capps, 1967; Covell, 1984; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010). They commonly feed on garden vegetables and cultivated crops such as alfalfa, amaranths, beans, black-eyed peas, clover, corn, cotton, cowpeas, radishes, soybeans, strawberries, sunflowers, sugar beets and Swiss chard. Other hosts include pigweeds (Amaranthus), Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida), Common Ragweed (A. artemisiifolia), Spearscale Orache (Atriplex patula), Turtleweed (Batis maritima), Lambsquarter (Chenopodium album), guayule (Parthenium argentatum), smartweeds (Polygonum), roses (Rosa), docks (Rumex), sea-purslane (Sesuvium), thistles and undoubtedly many other kinds of weeds.	The adults are attracted to lights, and the larvae are commonly found in vegetable garden and commercial field crops.	Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.	[GNR] [S4S5]	This wide-ranging species is common in the eastern half of the state and appears to be secure, in part due to its use of cultivated and weedy plants as a food source.