Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Cosmopterigidae Members:	Stilbosis Members:	2 NC Records

Stilbosis quadricustatella (Chambers, 1880) - No Common Name

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Taxonomy

Family:
Cosmopterigidae

P3 Number:
59a0303

MONA Number:
1597.00

Comments: The genus Stilbosis consists of 39 species of small moths. Eight species occur in the eastern US and 12 in the West. Most of the other species are in the northern Neotropics (Hodges, 1978).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Hodges (1978)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Simberloff and Stiling (1987)

Adult Markings: This is a tiny moth that is nondescript. The forehead is blunt and prominent, and the labial palp is recurved. The antenna is about one-half to three-quarters the wing length. The forewing is narrowly lanceolate and dark gray to grayish black with little patterning. There are small patches of raised scales on the forewing that may be missing on worn specimens. These include one at one-fourth the wing length, a pair slightly beyond one-half, one at about four-fifths, and four or five small patches along the outer margin (Hodges, 1978). The hindwing is extremely narrow, and the fringe on both the forewing and hindwing is long and light gray. The legs are dark brownish gray. This species closely resembles certain other species (e.g., Chrysopeleia purpuriella), and is best identified either by using genitalic traits, or from the distinct mine and frass pattern that is produced on oak leaves.

Forewing Length: 2.5 to 3.3 mm (Hodges, 1978)

Adult Structural Features: Hodges (1979) has detailed descriptions and illustrations of the genitalia.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.

Immatures and Development: The following summary of the larval life history is from Simberloff and Stiling's (1987) observations in Florida. The eggs are laid in early summer, typically on the upper leaf surface at the junction of the midrib and a major lateral vein. The larvae create full-depth mines that can be up to 3 cm long. As the larva grows, the mine expands in concentric arcs between the midrib and lateral vein, and occasionally become irregular. The mines almost never cross the midrib, even though the larva excavates a groove in the midrib and rest there when not feeding. The brown frass is extruded through tiny holes in the lower epidermis and accumulates there. With time, it often covers a substantial area of the underside of the leaf. After mining for 2–3 months, the larva cuts a crescent-shaped slit in the lower epidermis near the outer edge of the mine, wraps itself in frass and silk, and drops to the ground to pupate and overwinter.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: The range of Stilbosis quadricustatella is poorly documented and based on a few scattered records that are mostly from the southeastern US. Populations have been found in Florida, south-central Mississippi, northwest Arkansas, eastern Texas, and Illinois (Hodges, 1978; Eiseman, 2019). As of 2021, we have a single record from the extreme southeastern portion of the state.

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: Overwintering occurs in the pupal stage and the adults emerge after the spring leaf-out. Records from areas outside of North Carolina are from early May through September.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: The habitats are poorly documented. The larvae use oaks that are found in habitats ranging from bottomland hardwood forests to sandy, upland, xeric communities.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae specialize on oaks, with reported hosts including Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata), Sand Live Oak (Q. geminata), Darlington Oak (Q. hemisphaerica), and Water Oak (Q. nigra) (Eiseman, 2022). In North Carolina, mines have been recorded on Sand Live Oak and Bluejack Oak (Q. incana). - 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:

Comments: We have only two records for North Carolina as of 2022. This species appears to be rare in the state and at the northern limit of its range on the Atlantic Seaboard. Additional information is needed on its distribution and abundance before we can assess the conservation status of this species.

Photo Gallery for Stilbosis quadricustatella - No Common Name

Photos: 5

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-03-17 Brunswick Co. Comment: A mine on Quercus geminata (see companion photo of underside with frass).		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-03-17 Brunswick Co. Comment: A mine on Quercus geminata .
	Recorded by: Tracy S Feldman on 2020-11-27 New Hanover Co. Comment: These mines were empty--blotch mines on Quercus geminata, with frass on the lower surface of the leaf, and exit holes visible.		Recorded by: Tracy S Feldman on 2020-11-27 New Hanover Co. Comment: These mines were empty--blotch mines on Quercus geminata, with frass on the lower surface of the leaf, and exit holes visible.
	Recorded by: Tracy S Feldman on 2020-11-27 New Hanover Co. Comment: These mines were empty--blotch mines on Quercus geminata, with frass on the lower surface of the leaf, and exit holes visible.