Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFBlastobasidae Members: Calosima Members: 1 NC Records

Calosima argyrosplendella Dietz, 1910 - No Common Name

Calosima argyrosplendella
view caption 		Calosima argyrosplendella
Taxonomy
Family:
Blastobasidae		Subfamily:
Blastobasinae		Tribe:
Holcocerini		P3 Number:
59a1757		 MONA Number:
1168.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Dietz (1910)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Calosima argyrosplendella is a tiny whitish to tannish-white moth with narrow wings and recurved labial palps that are slender and extend above the head. The palps are white and dusted externally with brown scales, with the third joint nearly as long as the second one. The head and thorax vary from pearly-white to tannish-white, while the antenna is pale grayish-brown, with the basal joint white. The forewings and fringe vary from white to tannish-white. The hindwings and fringe are more or less concolorous with the forewings, while the legs are lustrous white and somewhat suffused with fuscous.

This species is easily confused with C. dianella, but is noticeably smaller and has somewhat narrower wings. It also usually lacks the faint clay-colored wash on the terminal third of the forewings as seen in C. dianella. Genitalia provide the best way to identify both species, but accurate measurements of forewing length is usually sufficient to identify these species, with C. argyrosplendella having a forewing length < 4.5 mm versus > 5.0 mm for C. dianella.
Wingspan: 10.5-12 mm (Dietz, 1910).
Genitalia and other structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Immatures and Development: As of 2025, the larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Calosima argyrosplendella is found in the eastern US, with the range extending along the Atlantic Seaboard from Maine southward to North Carolina, then as a southern distinct population in Florida. As of 2025, we have a single specimen that was found by John Petranka in Orange County in 2025.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Calosima argyrosplendellaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Flight Comments: The flight season is poorly documented due to the scarcity of records. Specimens have been taken from March through August in Florida, and from June through August elsewhere. Our one record as of 2025 was from 11 November.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our one record as of 2025 was from a semi-wooded residential neighborhood in the Piedmont.
Larval Host Plants: The larval hosts are undocumented.
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Calosima argyrosplendella - No common name

Photos: 2
Calosima argyrosplendella
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2025-11-05
Orange Co.
Comment: Specimen was dissected (male); FWL ca. 4 mm.		Calosima argyrosplendella
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2025-11-05
Orange Co.
Comment: Specimen was dissected (male); FWL ca. 4 mm.