Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gelechiidae Members:	Gnorimoschema Members:	11 NC Records

Gnorimoschema gallaeasterella (Kellicott, 1878) - No Common Name

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Gelechioidea

Family:
Gelechiidae

Subfamily:
Gelechiinae

P3 Number:
59a1203

MONA Number:
1985.00

Comments: The genus Gnorimoschema contains over 115 species of small moths. There are more than 80 species in North America, and most are found in the southwestern US. They appear to specialize on members of the Asteraceae and have a diverse array of feeding niches that includes leafminers and gall-makers.

Species Status: This species is one of several eastern insects that induce galls on goldenrods. Careful study is needed to determine the correct species. The rearing of adults is always helpful, as it knowledge of the host plant.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012)

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

Technical Description, Adults: Kellicott (1878)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Kellicott (1878); Judd (1962)

Adult Markings: The following description is based in part on that of Kellicott (1878). The head is white. The thorax is also white, but often has faint brown streaking or spotting. The labial palp is mostly white with brown scales on the outside of the second joint. The terminal joint is white, with a black subterminal band and a tiny white tip. The antenna is white with thin, brown annulations. The forewing ground is white, and is overlain with black spots and larger reddish brown to dark brown dusting and marks. A large reddish brown to dark brown hemispheric patch begins along the costa at about one-third the wing length and extends rearward to one-half or more. The patch extends inward towards the inner margin to about two-thirds the wing depth. The anterior margin is oblique and relatively clean-cut, while the posterior region tends to be irregular and spreads posteriorly to varying degrees where there are often one or two smaller reddish-brown to dark brown patches. The inner margin usually has two blackish dashes or spots, one near the wing base and one just beyond one-half. The apical third is whitish, with varying levels are dark brown mottling. The basal third is also white, and often with a reddish brown diffuse costal patch, along with a small black patch at the base of the inner margin. The cilia are dull white with darker speckling. The hindwing is gray and the cilia lighter. The abdomen is gray and the first three segments are yellow above. The legs are blackish with narrow, white annulations.

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.

Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on the stems of asters and goldenrods where they induce the formation of elliptical, hollow galls. Kellicott (1878) noted that the galls are often found < 20 cm above the ground when feeding on White Wood-aster (Eurybia divaricata), and that the terminal bud develops very little after the larva begins feeding. The mature galls were about 3 cm long and 1.3 cm in diameter. Feeding on the internal tissues triggers gall formation. When fully grown the larva makes a round hole near the top of the gall (leaving a thin scale of the epidermis) then fills it with a closely-fitting plug of silk. It then lines the interior of the gall with silk and pupates shortly thereafter. The adult emerged after unplugging the escape hole. The older larvae have a black head, and cervical and anal shields are composed of ragged brown patches. The body is tawny colored. Kellicott (1878) found pupae in early July and adults in early August. Judd (1962) reared an adult from galls that were on Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis). The galls ranged from 1.3-5 cm long and were located about 10 cm above the ground. These contained escape holes at the top and conformed in all regards to Kellicott's (1878) description. Almost all of the galls that were collected were infected with parasitic wasps. As of 2022, we have one record of a gall that was on White Wood-aster (Eurybia divaricata) and measured 6.5 x 1.5 cm.

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

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Gnorimoschema gallaeasterella is found in western Canada (British Columbia; Alberta; Saskatchewan) and in eastern North America. In the East, the range extends from southern Canada (Ontario; Quebec; Nova Scotia) and the New England states southward to North Carolina and Tennessee, and westward to Oklahoma, Illinois, and Michigan. As of 2022, we have an historical record from the eastern Piedmont and several recent records from lower to mid-elevation sites in the northern 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: Populations are univoltine. The adults have been found in areas outside of North Carolina from June through October, with a seasonal peak in August and September. As of 2022 our limited records are all from August through early September.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: The larvae feed on several species on asters and goldenrods that are found in both woodland settings and more open spaces. They occupy habitats that range from wet to mesic microhabitats. The two most common hosts appear to be White Wood-aster and Zigzag Goldenrod, which are both common in mesic forests and forest edge habitats.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae produce galls on several species of asters and goldenrods. The documented hosts include White Wood-aster (Eurybia divaricata), Tall Flat-top Aster (Doellingeria umbellata), Bluestem Goldenrod (Solidago caesia), Zigzag Goldenrod (S. flexicaulis), and Bog Goldenrod (S. uliginosa) (Forbes, 1923; Robinson et al., 2010). As of 2022, our only record is for a gall on White Wood-aster. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights, and the large galls are easy to spot on native asters and goldenrods.

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: As of 2022, we have only seven recent site records for this species and all are from a Ashe and Watauga Counties. More information is needed on this species host use, distribution and abundance within the state before we can assess its conservation status.

Photo Gallery for Gnorimoschema gallaeasterella - None

Photos: 8

	Recorded by: John Petranka on 2023-10-27 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-16 Watauga Co. Comment: An adult that was emerged from a gall of Eurybia divaricata (see companion photos of the gall from 2022-08-10).
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-16 Watauga Co. Comment: An adult that was emerged from a gall of Eurybia divaricata (see companion photos of the gall from 2022-08-10).		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-10 Watauga Co. Comment: An elliptical gall (6.5 x 1.5 cm) I that was on Eurybia divaricata.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-10 Watauga Co. Comment: A view of the escape hole on a gall (see companion photo of the entire gall).		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-08-09 Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2011-08-25 Watauga Co. Comment: BugGuide: Photo#568354		Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2011-08-25 Watauga Co. Comment: BugGuide: Photo#568354