Moths of North Carolina
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14 NC Records

Glyphidocera dimorphella Busck, 1907 - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Gelechioidea Family: GlyphidoceridaeSubfamily: [Glyphidocerinae]Tribe: [Glyphidocerini]P3 Number: 420017.00 MONA Number: 1143.00
Comments: Glyphidocera is a large but poorly studied genus with numerous undescribed species in the Neotropics, where they reach their greatest diversity. Adamski (2005) described 88 new species from Costa Rica alone. There are currently 11 described species in North America, and seven species in North Carolina. They are small to medium-sized moths and, with rare exceptions, vary from pale yellowish brown to dark brown. Most have few, if any, diagnostic markings on the wings. Host associations are unknown for almost all species, which suggests that they may be detritivores or fungivores that do not feed on living plants.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Busck (1907)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is primarily based on the description by Busck (1907). The labial palp is straw-yellow and lightly mottled with black scales. The antenna is yellowish fuscous to light brown, weakly annulated, and lacks the notch that is found in the males of some congenerics. The head, thorax and ground color of the forewing are straw-yellow to light tan, and sparsely sprinkled with dark brown scales. The forewing has two blackish brown round dots of equal size -- one in the middle of the cell at about one-half the wing length -- and the second at the end of the cell at about two-thirds. When an individual is resting with the wings folded, these form a square pattern when viewed from above. The terminal edge of the wing has a series of blackish brown dots. The hindwing is light straw-colored to light tan, and the abdomen yellowish. The legs are light yellow to tan with darker, blackish, spurs and tarsi. Glyphidocera democratica is somewhat similar is terms of having a squarish set of dark spots on the dorsum, but the posterior spots are smaller that the anterior spots and the wing tip has a heavy dusting of black scales.
Wingspan: 10-11 mm (Busck, 1907)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Glyphidocera dimorphella is found in the eastern US from Maine southward to Florida, and westward to eastern Texas. It appears to be largely missing from areas west of the Appalachians. As of 2021, our records are from the Piedmont and lower elevation sites 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: The adults are active nearly year-round in Florida and from May through August in other areas outside of North Carolina. North Carolina populations appear to be univoltine, with a brief flight period from mid-June through late-July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: As of 2021, all of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods, and the natural communities that are used by this species are undocumented.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts, if any, are undocumented. Except for one species, the hosts of the more than 100 described species of Glyphidocera are unknown. This suggests that the larvae do not feed on living plant foliage, and are perhaps detritivores or fungivores. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [SU]
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 habitat use, abundance, and distribution of this species to assess the its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Glyphidocera dimorphella - No common name

Photos: 14

Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-18
Caswell Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-10
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-29
Swain Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Becky Watkins on 2023-07-22
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka and Jim Petranka on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka and Jim Petranka on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-07-30
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2021-07-11
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-16
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-07
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-06-30
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-06-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-07-30
Buncombe Co.
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