Moths of North Carolina
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2 NC Records

Fabiola shaleriella (Chambers, 1875) - Shaler's Fabiola Moth

Fabiola shaleriella
Taxonomy
Family: OecophoridaeTribe: OecophoriniP3 Number: 59a0046 MONA Number: 1050.00
Comments: Fabiola is a small genus with seven recognized species, including five in North America and two in the Old World.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Clarke (1941); Hodges (1974)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based in part on the description by Forbes (1923) and Clarke (1941). The labial palp is shining white, with the second segment narrowly edged with fuscous anteriorly and at the apex. The third segment is entirely overlaid with fuscous. The antenna is greenish fuscous and narrowly annulated with silvery white. The face is shining white. The head and thorax are iridescent greenish fuscous. This color continues to the base of the forewing then narrowly around its edges. The ground color of the forewing is golden and overlain with a complex pattern of markings. At the basal forth of the forewing, a conspicuous, transverse, white fascia extends from the inner margin and narrows before ending just before the costa. It is narrowly edged inwardly and outwardly with black, and the costal half has metallic blue scales. A white, rectangular costal spot is present just before apex that is connected to a thin transverse, black-edged fascia that extends almost to the inner margin. Between the white subapical costal spot and the white basal fascia there is a dark greenish fuscous shade with a lighter patch of fine striations anteriorly that covers the inner half of the wing. On the opposing inner half, there are three metallic blue spots that are surrounded by region of velvety black scales. The cilia are shining fuscous except at tornus where there is a white patch. The base of the cilia are darker, with the color spilling over into the termen. The hindwing is blackish fuscous except for a whitish baso-costal area, and the cilia shining fuscous. The legs are silvery white shaded with fuscous. The abdomen is greenish fuscous above and silvery white beneath. This species is similar to F. tecta but is larger, has a different pattern of metallic-blue streaks, and has a differently placed fascia at three-fourths (Braun, 1935; Clarke, 1941).
Wingspan: 10-15 mm (Clarke, 1941)
Forewing Length: 5.0-7.5 mm (Hodges, 1974)
Adult Structural Features: Clarke (1941) and Hodges (1974) have descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia. On F. shaleriella the caudolateral lobes on the tegumen are much more prominently developed compared with other Fabiola species.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae have never been discovered and the life history of the larval stage is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Fabiola shaleriella occurs in eastern North America where scattered populations have been found in southern Ontario, southern Quebec, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and Pennsylvania. A more southern cluster also occurs in eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, northern Alabama, and western North Carolina. As of 2020, we have only one record for the state from Buncombe County.
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: Adults have been collected from April through July with peak in late May and June. Our one record is from May 23.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitats are poorly documented, but this species seems to be associated with hardwood forests.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are unknown, but the larvae are suspected of being detritivores that feed on dead plant material (Hodges, 1974). - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights, but apparently only weakly so based on the paucity of records.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection:
Comments: This species is seemingly rare or uncommon throughout its range. We currently so not have sufficient data to assess its conservation status in North Carolina.

 Photo Gallery for Fabiola shaleriella - Shaler's Fabiola Moth

Photos: 3

Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-05-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: