Moths of North Carolina
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Significant Contributors
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROLEPIIDAE-
ADELIDAE-Fairy moths
AMPHISBATIDAE-
AUTOSTICHIDAE-
BATRACHEDRIDAE-Batrachedrid Moths
BEDELLIIDAE-Bedelliid Moths
BLASTOBASIDAE-
BOMBYCIDAE-
BUCCULATRICIDAE-
CARPOSINIDAE-
CHOREUTIDAE-Metalmark Moths
COLEOPHORIDAE-Casebearer Moths and Relatives
COSMOPTERIGIDAE-Cosmopterigid Moths
COSSIDAE-Carpenter Moths, Goat Moths
CRAMBIDAE-Grass Moths, Snout Moths
DEPRESSARIIDAE-
DREPANIDAE-Hook-tips and Thyatirid Moths
ELACHISTIDAE-Grassminer Moths and Relatives
EPERMENIIDAE-
EPIPYROPIDAE-
EREBIDAE-Erebid Moths
ERIOCRANIIDAE-
EUTELIIDAE-
GALACTICIDAE-
GELECHIIDAE-Gelechiid Moths; Twirler Moths
GEOMETRIDAE-Geometer Moths, Loopers
GLYPHIDOCERIDAE-
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE-Sedge Moths
GRACILLARIIDAE-Leafblotch miner moths
HELIOZELIDAE-Shield bearer moths
HEPIALIDAE-Ghost or Swift Moths
HYBLAEIDAE-
INCURVARIIDAE-
LASIOCAMPIDAE-Tent Caterpillar Moths, Lappet Moths
LECITHOCERIDAE-Long-horned Moths
LIMACODIDAE-Slug Caterpillar Moths
LYONETIIDAE-Lyonetiid Moths
MEGALOPYGIDAE-Flannel Moths
MICROPTERIGIDAE-Mandibulate Moths
MIMALLONIDAE-
MOMPHIDAE-Mompha Moths
NEPTICULIDAE-Minute leaf miners
NOCTUIDAE-Owlet Moths
NOLIDAE-
NOTODONTIDAE-Prominents
OECOPHORIDAE-Oecophorid Moths
OPOSTEGIDAE-
PELEOPODIDAE-
PLUTELLIDAE-Diamondback Moths
PRODOXIDAE-Yucca Moths
PSYCHIDAE-Bagworm Moths
PTEROPHORIDAE-Plume Moths
PYRALIDAE-Pyralid Moths, Snout Moths
SATURNIIDAE-Giant Silkworm Moths
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE-Schreckensteiniid Moths
SESIIDAE-Clearwing Moths
SPHINGIDAE-Sphinx Moths
THYATIRIDAE-
THYRIDIDAE-Window-winged Moths
TINEIDAE-Clothes moths
TISCHERIIDAE-Tischerid Moths
TORTRICIDAE-Leafroller Moths
URANIIDAE-
URODIDAE-Urodid Moths
XYLORYCTIDAE-
YPONOMEUTIDAE-Ermine Moths
YPSOLOPHIDAE-Ypsolophid Moths
ZYGAENIDAE-
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Gelechiidae Members:
Agnippe prunifoliella
Anacampsini new genus new species
Anacampsis agrimoniella
Anacampsis conclusella
Anacampsis consonella
Anacampsis coverdalella
Anacampsis fragariella
Anacampsis levipedella
Anacampsis lupinella
Anacampsis New Species one
Anacampsis rhoifructella
Anacampsis tristrigella
Anacampsis unidentified species
Anarsia lineatella
Arcutelphusa talladega
Aristotelia callirrhoda
Aristotelia fungivorella
Aristotelia isopelta
Aristotelia lespedezae
Aristotelia monilella
Aristotelia pudibundella
Aristotelia roseosuffusella
Aristotelia rubidella
Aristotelia unidentified species
Aroga argutiola
Aroga compositella
Aroga epigaeella
Aroga trialbamaculella
Aroga trialbamaculella complex
Aroga unidentified species
Arogalea cristifasciella
Battaristis concinnusella
Battaristis new species
Battaristis nigratomella
Battaristis unidentified species
Battaristis vittella
Besciva n. sp.
Caryocolum pullatella
Chionodes adamas
Chionodes baro
Chionodes bicostomaculella
Chionodes cacula
Chionodes continuella
Chionodes dentella
Chionodes discoocellella
Chionodes fondella
Chionodes formosella
Chionodes fuscomaculella
Chionodes hibiscella
Chionodes imber
Chionodes lactans
Chionodes mediofuscella
Chionodes new species 2
Chionodes obscurusella
Chionodes pereyra
Chionodes pseudofondella
Chionodes rabula
Chionodes rectifex
Chionodes sevir
Chionodes soter
Chionodes suasor
Chionodes tarmes
Chionodes thoraceochrella
Chionodes unidentified species
Coleotechnites albicostata
Coleotechnites apicitripunctella
Coleotechnites atrupictella
Coleotechnites canusella
Coleotechnites carbonaria
Coleotechnites citriella
Coleotechnites coniferella
Coleotechnites florae
Coleotechnites macleodi
Coleotechnites new species
Coleotechnites obliquistrigella
Coleotechnites piceaella
Coleotechnites quercivorella
Coleotechnites unidentified species
Coleotechnites variiella
Deltophora sella
Dichomeris aglaia
Dichomeris agonia
Dichomeris bilobella
Dichomeris bipunctellus
Dichomeris bolize
Dichomeris caia
Dichomeris citrifoliella
Dichomeris costarufoella
Dichomeris crepida
Dichomeris fistuca
Dichomeris flavocostella
Dichomeris furia
Dichomeris georgiella
Dichomeris glenni
Dichomeris heriguronis
Dichomeris inserrata
Dichomeris inversella
Dichomeris juncidella
Dichomeris kimballi
Dichomeris laetitia
Dichomeris ligulella
Dichomeris marginella
Dichomeris nenia
Dichomeris new species 2
Dichomeris new species 4
Dichomeris nonstrigella
Dichomeris ochripalpella
Dichomeris offula
Dichomeris pelta
Dichomeris punctidiscellus
Dichomeris punctipennella
Dichomeris purpureofusca
Dichomeris setosella
Dichomeris siren
Dichomeris unidentified species
Dichomeris vacciniella
Dichomeris ventrellus
Dichomeris vindex
Dichomeris xanthoa
Enchrysa dissectella
Exoteleia anomala
Exoteleia pinifoliella complex
Fascista bimaculella
Fascista cercerisella
Fascista quinella
Filatima ornatifimbriella
Filatima persicaeella
Filatima pseudacaciella
Filatima serotinella
Filatima unidentified species
Filatima xanthuris
Frumenta nundinella
Gelechia albisparsella
Gelechiidae unidentified species
Glauce pectenalaeella
Gnorimoschema gallaeasterella
Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginis
Gnorimoschema terracottella
Gnorimoschema unidentified species
Gnorimoschemini unidentified species
Helcystogramma hystricella
Helcystogramma melanocarpa
Helcystogramma melantherella
Holophysis emblemella
Isophrictis anteliella
Isophrictis rudbeckiella
Isophrictis unidentified species
Keiferia inconspicuella
Keiferia unidentified species
Mesophleps adustipennis
Metzneria lappella
Monochroa disconotella
Monochroa gilvolinella
Monochroa monactis
Monochroa pullusella
Monochroa quinquepunctella
Monochroa unidentified species
Neotelphusa sequax
Phthorimaea operculella
Polyhymno luteostrigella
Prostomeus brunneus
Pseudochelaria pennsylvanica
Pseudochelaria walsinghami
Pseudotelphusa fuscopunctella
Pseudotelphusa palliderosacella
Pseudotelphusa quercinigracella
Pseudotelphusa unidentified species
Pubitelphusa latifasciella
Sinoe chambersi
Sinoe kwakae
Sinoe robiniella
Sinoe unidentified species
Sitotroga cerealella
Stegasta bosqueella
Stereomita andropogonis
Strobisia iridipennella
Symmetrischema capsica
Symmetrischema pallidochrella
Symmetrischema striatella
Symmetrischema unidentified species
Taygete attributella
Taygete gallaegenitella
Telphusa longifasciella
Telphusa perspicua
Theisoa constrictella
Trypanisma prudens
Untomia albistrigella
Xenolechia aethiops
Chionodes
Members:
Chionodes adamas
Chionodes baro
Chionodes bicostomaculella
Chionodes cacula
Chionodes continuella
Chionodes dentella
Chionodes discoocellella
Chionodes fondella
Chionodes formosella
Chionodes fuscomaculella
Chionodes hibiscella
Chionodes imber
Chionodes lactans
Chionodes mediofuscella
Chionodes new species 2
Chionodes obscurusella
Chionodes pereyra
Chionodes pseudofondella
Chionodes rabula
Chionodes rectifex
Chionodes sevir
Chionodes soter
Chionodes suasor
Chionodes tarmes
Chionodes thoraceochrella
Chionodes unidentified species
24 NC Records
Chionodes bicostomaculella
(Chambers, 1872) - Two-spotted Chionodes
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Gelechioidea
Family:
Gelechiidae
Subfamily:
Gelechiinae
Tribe:
Gelechiini
P3 Number:
59a0890
MONA Number:
2064.00
Comments:
The genus
Chionodes
is the most species rich genus of gelechiid moths in the Western Hemisphere, with 187 recognized species. Our knowledge of the diverse array of species in North America is largely due to the monumental work of Hodges (1999), who spend decades working on the group and described 115 new species (Powell and Opler, 2009). Many exhibit substantial variation within species and have drab coloration, typically with brown, dark gray, or blackish patterning on the forewings. These can only be confidently identified by examining secondary sexual characteristics and/or the genitalia of one or both sexes. Others are more boldly marked and can be identified by wing patterning. Many of our state records are based on Hodges (1999) database of over 19,000 specimens that he examined from major collections in the US. These include North Carolina specimens that he collected mostly from Highlands, and from a few other areas within the state.
Species Status:
Hodges (1999) noted that the genitalia of
Chionodes abitus
,
C. argentipunctella
,
C. formosella
,
C. fuscomaculella
,
C. bicostomaculella
,
C. hapsus
,
C. iridescens
,
C. powelli
and
C. suasor
are so similar that they cannot be readily distinguished using only genitalic characters. These taxa form the
formosella
-complex.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions:
Online Resources:
MPG
,
BugGuide
,
iNaturalist
,
Google
,
BAMONA
,
GBIF
,
BOLD
Technical Description, Adults:
Hodges (1999)
Adult Markings:
The head, thorax, and labial palps are grayish with darker dusting, and the antenna is dark gray to blackish with faint lighter annulations. The forewing has a series of small blotches and marks that are entirely shades of black, gray and white, and sometimes with a faint bluish cast. Pale yellow or pale orange blotches or marks are not present. A whitish costal spot is usually present at four-fifths, and the apical fifth often is blackish with white spotting around the margins. Hodges (1999) noted that specimens vary in the relative proportion of pale and dark parts of the patterning. Some northern specimens have a greater proportion of pale scales, and sometimes have only the scale tufts and the distal one-fifth of the forewing dark gray. Others have the forewing heavily overlaid with dark scales, which produces a pattern with less contrast. The hindwing and fringe vary from light gray to light brown. The dorsal surface of the abdomen varies from nearly uniformly pale gray to off-white, to each segment being dark gray with an off-white posterior margin. The tarsi are blackish with pale whitish bands. This species is similar to several other
Chionodes
, and the genitalia offer little help in distinguishing between closely related forms. In the East,
C. fuscomaculella
and
C. bicostomaculella
are the most easily confused. Hodges (1999) noted that
C. bicostomaculella
tends to have the scales of the upper surface shades of black, gray, and white with a slight bluish-gray cast. This species almost always lacks any yellow scales, whereas specimens of
C. fuscomaculella
usually has pale-yellow scales, at least on the basal two-thirds of the wing. In addition, the forewing usually has a warm, slightly yellowish hue. Identification is best achieved by using a combination of maculation, genitalia, and male secondary sex characteristics such as the scale pencils on the hindwing. The larvae are distinctive, and the adults can be easily reared from larvae.
Forewing Length:
5.9-7.8 mm (Hodges, 1999).
Adult Structural Features:
Hodges (1999) has descriptions and illustrations of the male and female genitalia, but discrimination on the basis of genital characters among
C. formosella
,
C. fuscomaculella
, and
C. bicostomaculella
is not possible. The hindwing has a scale pencil that arises from the base of the wing in the anal area and runs slightly posteriad at a small angle with CuA. This will help distinguish it from
C. formosella
, which lacks a scale pencil.
Adult ID Requirements:
Identifiable only by close inspection of structural features or by DNA analysis.
Immatures and Development:
The larvae feed on oaks and skeltonize the leaves, but details concerning the life history are undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
Chionodes bicostomaculella
is found in eastern North America in the New England states and adjoining areas of Canada (Ontario; Quebec) southward to Florida, and westward to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, and Michigan. As of 2021, our records are almost all from the Piedmont and lower elevations in the mountains, with one record from the Coastal Plain.
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:
Most records are from May through August in areas outside of North Carolina, except for Florida where adults become active in March and April. As of 2021, our records extend from mid-June through late October.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
This species is associated with hardwood forests with oaks, and typically with species that are found in mesic to slightly drier conditions.
Larval Host Plants:
The known hosts are all oaks (Hodges, 1999; Robinson et al., 2010), and the larvae use members of both the white oak and red oak groups. Hodges (1999) reported rearing records from White Oak (
Quercus alba
), Bur Oak (
Q. macrocarpa
), and from members of the red oak group. Robinson et al. (2010) list Scarlet Oak (
Q. coccinea
) and Northern Red Oak (
Q. rubra
). -
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:
Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:
We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species within the state to assess its conservation status.
Photo Gallery for
Chionodes bicostomaculella
- Two-spotted Chionodes
Photos: 17
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-17
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-06-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-26
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-22
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-10-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-10-01
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-10-01
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-09-26
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-10
Madison Co.
Comment: Verified by dissection done by J.B. Sullivan
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-10
Madison Co.
Comment: Verified by dissection done by J.B. Sullivan
Recorded by: L. M. Carlson on 2019-08-10
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2019-07-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2019-07-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-05
Madison Co.
Comment: Verified by dissection done by J.B. Sullivan
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-05
Madison Co.
Comment: