Moths of North Carolina
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Rectiostoma Members:
25 NC Records

Rectiostoma xanthobasis (Zeller, 1875) - Yellow-vested Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Gelechioidea Family: ElachistidaeSubfamily: StenomatinaeTribe: [Stenomatini]P3 Number: 420245.00 MONA Number: 1026.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Duckworth (1964)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Marquis et al. (2019)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a boldly marked moth with black and lemon-yellow patterning on the basal third that is diagnostic. The following detailed description is based on that of Duckworth (1964). The face and labial palps are lemon yellow. The thorax is brown dorsally except for the lemon-yellow tegulae. The forewing is deep brown with a lemon-yellow triangular area that occupies the basal third except for a short costal lenticular spot and a longer, narrower spot along the posterior wing margin. Both spots are concolorous with the ground color. The apical two-thirds of the forewing has an inconspicuous area of white scales near the mid length of the costal margin, along with a similar, smaller area slightly more distad. There is a faint and somewhat iridescent light transverse band that parallels the distal margin of the yellow area and a small group of scales behind the basal white area. There is a short curved band extending from the distal white area and a submarginal longer straight, iridescent blue violet band parallel to the outer wing margin. The cilia are blackish brown. The hindwing is dark brown with a patch of white on the basal half of the anterior margin. The cilia are brown and edged in white. The legs are dark brown. The foreleg has the coxa entirely white and the tarsus ringed with white. The middle leg has two tibial rings and the tibial spurs and tarsal rings are white. The abdomen is brown with patches of white scales laterally.
Wingspan: 12-14 mm (Duckworth, 1964)
Adult Structural Features: Duckworth (1964) provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on oaks and have been reported to both tie overlapping leaves together and to fold over leaf lobes and attach them to the main portion of the leaf (Marquis et al., 2019). Overwintering is thought to occur in the pupal stage, with adults emerging the following spring. The head of the mature larva is light brown to light orange and the prothoracic and anal shields are either unpigmented, spotted, or solid brown to black. All thoracic segments are pigmented with reddish brown to orange and contrast withthe head. The abdomen is pale with irregular reddish spots in the subdorsal and lateral regions. Marquis et al. (2019) have detailed descriptions of the larvae and pupae.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Rectiostoma xanthobasis occurs in the eastern US where it ranges from eastern Massachusetts westward to Missouri, Kansas, and eastern Texas, and southward to Gulf Coast states and southern Florida. It is found statewide in North Carolina.
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: As of 2020, our records extend from late April through early September. Populations in the mountains may be single-brooded, while those in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain appear to have two or more broods annually.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The larvae exploit a variety of oaks that grow in habitats ranging from moist bottomland forests and mesic slopes to dry ridges and south-facing slopes. Many of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae are specialists on oaks (Robinson et al., 2002; Marquis et al., 2019). The reported hosts include White Oak (Quercus alba), Laurel Oak (Q. laurifolia), Chinquapin Oak (Q. muehlenbergii), Water Oak (Q. nigra), Northern Red Oak (Q. rubra), Post Oak (Q. stellata) and Black Oak (Q. velutina).
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S4S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This oak specialist occurs statewide and populations appear to be secure.

 Photo Gallery for Rectiostoma xanthobasis - Yellow-vested Moth

Photos: 24

Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-07-31
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-12
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-07-12
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-22
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2021-07-07
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2021-07-06
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2020-08-12
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: L. M. Carlson on 2019-07-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-07-20
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-07-20
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-06-30
Onslow Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-17
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-17
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-05-19
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-05-19
Guilford Co.
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Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2018-07-22
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Robert Gilson on 2016-07-20
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2015-08-03
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, S. Hall on 2015-07-22
Stanly Co.
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Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2014-05-29
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2014-05-29
Warren Co.
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Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2014-05-29
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2010-05-13
Camden Co.
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