Moths of North Carolina
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99 NC Records

Battaristis vittella (Busck, 1926) - Orange Stripe-backed Moth

Battaristis vittellaBattaristis vittellaBattaristis vittella
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Gelechioidea		 Family:
Gelechiidae		Subfamily:
Anacampsinae		P3 Number:
59a0470		 MONA Number:
2229.00		 Other Common Name:
Stripe-backed Moth
Comments: The genus Battaristis contains 31 described species that are mostly found in the New World. Most species are found in South America, and only five are currently recognized in North America.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Beadle and Leckie (2012); Leckie and Beadle (2018)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Busck (1916)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Franklin and Coulson (1968)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: This is a small and distinctively marked moth with alternating regions of silvery gray and orangish brown patterning. The following description is based in part on that of Busck (1916). The antenna is silvery gray with darker annulations. The second joint of the labial palp is blackish brown exteriorly and light ocherous fuscous on the inner side, with the edge of the apex white. The terminal joint is whitish with a broad black annulation before the apex. The face is whitish, and the upper head, thorax and much of the forewing is covered with light steel gray to grayish-white scales. The silvery gray regions of the forewing are overlain with four reddish-brown to orangish-brown marks. These include a relatively small and somewhat crescent-shaped mark at one-fourth the wing length, a broad band that extends across the entire wing at one-half, a similar broad band at about three-fourths, and a more diffuse, rounded costal patch just beyond the last band. The two broad bands have rows of whitish scales on their posterior margins that produce an overall pattern of alternating whitish and orangish-brown banding along the wing. In addition to these markings, the basal half of the costal edge is dark brown and there is a small black dash on the middle of the termen. The cilia are steel-gray with a thin black marginal line that is white edged posteriorly. The hindwing is dark fuscous, and the abdomen is blackish fuscous above. The legs are blackish brown with narrow white annulations on the tarsal joints.
Wingspan: 10-11 mm (Busck, 1916)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae feed on the cones of yellow pines. Ebel (1963) reared adults from Florida from translucent, grayish-white larvae that lived in galleries that were lined with silk. The larvae were found in both first and second year cones of Slash and Longleaf Pine, and were thought to be secondary invaders. Franklin and Coulson (1968) observed the larvae burrowing through dried early second-year cones of Short-leaf Pine in Georgia. No larvae were found inside fresh cones and it was uncertain whether the cone was initially destroyed by this species, or by other inhabitants such as Dioryctria spp. Pupation occurred within the cone and local populations appeared to be multivoltine. The adults were collected in May, September, and October, and the larvae from the last brood overwintered in the dried cones.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Battaristis vittella is found in eastern North America from Maine and adjoining areas of extreme southern Canada southward to southern Florida and westward to eastern Texas, central Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin. It appears to occur statewide, where it is common in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, and uncommon at lower elevations in the mountains.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Battaristis vittella
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: The adults have been found from February through October in areas outside of North Carolina, with a seasonal peak in June and July. As of 2021, our records are from late March through mid-September, with little evidence of a strong seasonal peak in North Carolina.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are strongly dependent on yellow pines for reproduction and can be found in pine or mixed pine-hardwood communities statewide. Many of our native pines are early to mid-successional species that often become established in abandoned fields or after clearcutting. They also occur on drier slopes and forests and become established after fires when hardwoods are killed.
Larval Host Plants: This species feeds on the cones of yellow pines (Craighead et al., 1950; Ebel, 1963; Franklin and Coulson, 1968; Baker, 1972; Heppner, 2007; Robinson et al., 2010). The documented hosts include Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata), Slash Pine (P. elliotii), Austrian Pine (P. nigra), Longleaf Pine (P. palustris), Red Pine (P. resinosa), Loblolly Pine (P. taeda), and Virginia Pine (P. virginiana). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the larvae can be found by breaking apart second year cones of pines.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Pine Forests and Woodlands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S4S5
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is widespread and rather common across the state. It appears to be secure considering how widespread and abundant yellow pines are in the state.

 Photo Gallery for Battaristis vittella - Orange Stripe-backed Moth

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

Recorded by: Jim Petranka, John Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-08
Harnett Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Bonnie Eamick on 2025-04-25
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-14
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2025-04-04
Onslow Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2024-09-23
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-04
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-07-30
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-20
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-17
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-15
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-15
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2024-06-14
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-29
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-04-17
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-17
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-17
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2024-04-16
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-16
Davidson Co.
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Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2023-07-26
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-21
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and John Petranka on 2023-06-14
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-06-03
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-06-02
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-06-01
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2023-05-21
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, Chuck Smith on 2023-05-12
Bladen Co.
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Recorded by: David George on 2023-04-15
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2023-04-05
Durham Co.
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