Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gelechiidae Members:	Taygete Members:	137 NC Records

Taygete attributella (Walker, 1864) - Triangle-marked Twirler

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gelechioidea

Family:
Gelechiidae

Subfamily:
Symmocinae

P3 Number:
59a0009

MONA Number:
1842.00

Comments: Taygete is a small genus 18 species that are mostly found in the neotropics and the western and southwestern US.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Leckie and Beadle (2018)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)

Adult Markings: The following is based primarily on the descriptions by Chambers (1872) and Forbes (1923). The head and thorax are fuscous and rather heavily scaled, while the antenna are dark brown, rather stout, and slightly more than half the length of the forewing. The labial palp has two slender black annuli on the terminal joint. The forewing ground color is pearly white to dirty white with dark brown marks. These include a large costal spot at the wing base, a second large costal spot just beyond one-half, and a smaller one between these two. In addition, there are two or three less intense dots closer to the inner margin and between second costal mark and the PM area. These and the second costal mark are often partially margined with light tan scales. The apex is lightly spotted with fuscous, and the cilia are pale fuscous. The hindwing and fringe are grayish brown. The legs are dark brown to blackish above with a few narrow whitish annuli. Taygete gallaegenitella is similar but has a different spot pattern along the costa.

Wingspan: 10 mm (Forbes, 1923)

Structural photos

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: Taygete attributella is found in eastern North America from the New England states and adjoining areas of southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec southward to northern Florida and the Gulf States, and westward to central Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Minnesota. A few scattered records are from farther west in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. Populations are absent or rare in much of the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Virginia to Georgia. As of 2024, nearly all of our records are from the Piedmont and lower elevations in the mountains, with a few records from higher elevations and a single record from the Sandhills.

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 documented from March through October in areas outside of North Carolina, with a seasonal peak in June and July. As of 2021, we have records from early May through late October. North Carolina populations appear to be bivoltine, with the first brood in May and June and a second during the summer.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: The preferred habitats are poorly documented. Most of our records are from semi-wooded residential neighborhoods.

Larval Host Plants: The host species 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 [S3S5]

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

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Taygete attributella - Triangle-marked Twirler

113 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2025-06-18 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-28 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-22 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-14 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-04 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-08-31 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stefanie Hedrick on 2024-08-22 Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-14 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-12 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-06 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-24 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-06-23 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell and Simpson Eason on 2024-06-20 Graham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Lior S. Carlson, Dean Furbish on 2024-06-17 Lincoln Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-16 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-12 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-10 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-06-08 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-07 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-06-07 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-06-05 Transylvania Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-02 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-05-24 Durham Co. Comment: