Moths of North Carolina
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Common Name:
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View PDFCosmopterigidae Members: 4 NC Records

Eralea albalineella (Chambers, 1878) - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Gelechioidea Family: CosmopterigidaeSubfamily: CosmopteriginaeP3 Number: 420385.00 MONA Number: 1501.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONATechnical Description, Adults: (Hodges, 1962)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based primarily on those of Hodges (1962, 1978). The labial palp is brown with a dorsal and a ventral buff line on the second and third segments. The antenna is cream white except for the dark dorsal surface of the scape. The face and vertex are buff-white. The thorax is brown with three blue-white lines, two lateral and one medial. The ground color of the forewing is brownish-black and is overlain with buff-white lines. The most prominent mark is a buff-white, longitudinal line that extends from the wing base towards the middle of the wing to just beyond one-half, where it then angles towards the dorsal margin at two thirds. It intersects with a thinner line that begins along the costal margin just beyond the base and meets the first line at about one-half the wing length. A third line begins on the costal margin at about one-half and slowly angles away posteriorly before ending just before the middle of the wing at about three-fourths. A final short line (often broken) is present at about five-sixths and projects towards the wing tip. The costal cilia are buff, and the apical cilia buff basally and brown distally. The dorsal cilia are buff with some brown flecks. The hindwing is buff and the cilia are gray. The legs are buff with grayish-brown banding that is most prominent on the forelegs.
Wingspan: 8-9 mm (Hodges, 1962)
Forewing Length: 3.5 to 3.8 mm (Hodges, 1978)
Adult Structural Features: Hodges (1962) has descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia.
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: Eralea albalineella is found in the US at mostly southern latitudes. The main range extends from central Texas and Arkansas eastward along the Gulf Coast states to Florida, then northward to North Carolina, southern Virginia, and West Virginia. Disjuncts occur in Colorado and southern California. As of 2021, we have records from the Piedmont and at a lower elevation site 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: Adults have been observed from April through November in areas outside of North Carolina, with most records occurring from July through September. As of 2021, our records are from June and July.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The preferred habitats are unknown. Our records are from partially wooded residential neighborhoods, but it is uncertain if hardwoods are required for reproduction.
Larval Host Plants: The hosts are unknown and the larval life history is undocumented.
Observation Methods: The adults occasionally visit lights.
Wikipedia
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SU
State Protection:
Comments: This species appears to be uncommon throughout its range, but this could merely reflect the fact that adults are not strongly attracted to lights. We need more information on its distribution, abundance, and habitat requirements before we can assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Eralea albalineella - No common name

Photos: 6

Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-07-10
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2020-06-26
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2020-06-26
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-06-10
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-06-10
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-06-10
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: