Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Autostichidae Members:	Spinitibia Members:	25 NC Records

Spinitibia hodgesi Lee & Brown, 2010 - Streaked Spinitibia

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gelechioidea

Family:
Autostichidae

Subfamily:
Symmocinae

Tribe:
[Symmocini]

P3 Number:
59a0007

MONA Number:
1134.10

Comments: Spinitibia is a monotypic genus and Spinitibia hodgesi is the second known endemic species of Symmocinae in North America (Lee and Brown, 2010).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Lee and Brown, 2010

Adult Markings: This is a small moth that is best identified by the lateral and median longitudinal dark brown bands on the thorax, the dark brown and yellow streaks of the forewing, and the pale discal cell with a black spot on each end. The detailed description that follows is from Lee and Brown (2010). The head and thorax are yellowish white mixed with yellowish brown, and the prothorax has a longitudinal median dark brown band and two lateral bands. The antenna is yellowish white and about two-thirds to three-fourths the length of the forewing. The second segment of the labial palp has dark brown mixed with variable amounts of yellowish white laterally, and yellowish white with scattered dark brown scales ventrally and medially. The apical segment has dark brown spots or bands basally and pre-apically. The forewing ground color is yellowish white, with a heavy dusting of dark brown scales. It is overlain with a series of yellowish-white, longitudinal streaks that are most prominent on the dorsum near the base, in the discal cell, interior to the discal cell at mid-length, and in the subterminal region near the middle of the wing. A thin, dark brown, longitudinal streak occurs at the basal one-fourth that runs parallel to the inner margin, while the apical one-third has variable numbers of short dark brown streaks along some of the veins. The pale area in the discal cell is bordered basally and apically by a dark brown spot. The hindwing is pale brownish gray. The foreleg is dark brown except for the tarsus, which is pale brown and banded with yellowish-white. The midleg has a dark brown femur, while the tibia and tarsus are yellowish-white mixed with grayish-brown. The hindleg is yellowish white mixed with grayish-brown, and the tibia has a fringe of yellowish-white setiform scales on the dorsal surface in both sexes. The abdomen is yellowish-gray, except the terga which is lined posteriorly with yellowish-white.

Forewing Length: 5.0–8.0 mm (Lee and Brown, 2010).

Adult Structural Features: Lee and Brown (2010) provide detailed descriptions and illustrations of the genitalia.

Structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: The larval life history and ecology are undocumented.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Lee and Brown (2010) originally reported the range to include portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Kansas, but numerous new records have expanded the range. The current known range extends from Rhode Island and eastern New York southward along the Atlantic Seaboard to Georgia and central Florida, then westward to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. As of 2020, our records are all from the Coastal Plain and Piedmont.

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 observed from April through October in different areas of the range other than North Carolina. Our records as of 2020 extend from March through October, with no evidence of a seasonal peak in activity.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Lee and Brown (2010) reported that most specimens were collected in a variety of dry forests, as well as in prairies, cedar glades, inland dunes, and old fields.

Larval Host Plants: The hosts are undocumented. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [S3S4]

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

Comments: We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species in North Carolina to assess its conservation status.

Photo Gallery for Spinitibia hodgesi - Streaked Spinitibia

Photos: 20

	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-09 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-04 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-17 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-03 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-09-03 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-05-31 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-05-18 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-05-02 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-10-04 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2020-03-20 Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2019-08-03 Onslow Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-06-23 Guilford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-06-03 Guilford Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Robert Gilson on 2018-10-20 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Robert Gilson on 2016-07-31 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-08-14 Warren Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: F. Williams,J. Wyche on 2014-07-11 Gates Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn, P. Scharf, K. Kittelberger on 2013-07-11 Halifax Co. Comment: