Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Lecithoceridae Members:	Martyringa Members:	94 NC Records

Martyringa latipennis (Walsingham, 1882) - Square-spotted Martyringa

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gelechioidea

Family:
Lecithoceridae

Subfamily:
Oecophorinae

Tribe:
Oecophorini

P3 Number:
59a0000.6

MONA Number:
1065.00

Comments: Martyringa is a small genus with four recognized species that occur in North America, India, and Southeast Asia.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Hodges (1974)

Adult Markings: The following description is based primarily on that of Clarke (1941). The labial palp, antenna, head, thorax, legs are ocherous. The second segment of the labial palp is shaded with fuscous on the basal two-thirds outwardly, and speckled basally inwardly. The third segment has an indistinct fuscous, sub-basal annulus. The antenna is narrowly annulated with fuscous basally and shaded with fuscous apically. The thorax and base of the tegula are strongly overlaid with fuscous. The pale ocherous ground color of the forewing is largely obscured by fuscous shading. At the basal third there are two large blackish-fuscous spots followed by a broad, pale ocherous streak, and a third blackish-fuscous spot at the end of cell. In addition to these marks, a pale ocherous spot is usually evident just anterior to the paired dark spots at one-third. A pale ocherous sub-terminal line extends perpendicular from the costa then angles towards the termen before angling back towards the inner margin. The termen is pale ocherous and the cilia grayish fuscous. The hindwing is pale cinereous and shaded with fuscous toward the apex. The terminal edge is pale ochreous, and the cilia grayish fuscous. The legs are shaded and banded with fuscous except at the joints. This species is superficially similar to M. ravicapitis, but the latter resembles a dulled-down version of . In addition, the paired black spots at one-third are displaced relative to one another, and the subterminal line is more jagged and W-shaped. In M. latipennis the two paired spots are about equidistant from a reference point such as the wing base, and the subterminal line is less jagged, with the line running perpendicular to the costa before angulating posteriorly.

Wingspan: 15-21 mm (Clarke, 1941)

Forewing Length: 6.5-9.5 mm (Hodges, 1974)

Adult Structural Features: Clarke (1941) has descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: Despite the large number of adult records from the eastern US, the larvae have never been observed and the larval life history is undocumented.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Martyringa latipennis is found in eastern North America, including southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec) and much of the eastern US. The range in the US extends from the New England states to as far south as Georgia and extreme northern Florida, and westward to Arkansas, Misouri and Illinois. This species is absent from most of the southeastern Coastal Plain. As of 2020, our records are all from the Piedmont and lower elevations in the mountains.

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: Adjults have been observed from April through October in different areas of the range, with a peak in activity from June through August. As of 2020, our records are from early May through late October, with a seasonal peak in June and July.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Most of our records come from residential neighborhoods. Those from natural habitats appear to be associated mainly with mesic or wet hardwood forests.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae have never been discovered and the hosts are unknown. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: Populations are widespread in the lower mountains and Piedmont and appear to be secure.

Photo Gallery for Martyringa latipennis - Square-spotted Martyringa

71 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-08-05 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-26 Alamance Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stefanie Hedrick on 2024-06-27 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18 Caswell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, John Petranka on 2023-08-05 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-24 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-22 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-21 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-11 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-07-10 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-06 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-30 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-06 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-06-05 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-09 Rockingham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-07-18 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-07-10 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2022-07-03 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-02 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2022-06-25 Guilford Co. Comment: