Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Gelechiidae Members:	Anacampsis Members:	6 NC Records

Anacampsis tristrigella (Walsingham, 1882) - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Family:
Gelechiidae

Subfamily:
Anacampsinae

P3 Number:
59a0494

MONA Number:
2251.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1923)

Adult Markings: This species closely resembles Anacampsis agrimoniella, except that the forewing typically has three white, longitudinal dashes on the outer margin. The forewing is predominantly medium gray on the basal three-fifths and blackish on the remainder of the wing. A complete, white, post-median band is present at around three-fourths the wing length that widens at the costa. The palps are recurved and needle-like, and have prominent orangish scales on the second segment. The eyes are red, and the antenna medium gray.

Genitalia and other structural photos

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

Immatures and Development: As of 2025, we are unaware of any documentation of the larval life history.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Anacampsis tristrigella is found in eastern North America, including southern Ontario and southern Quebec. In the US the range extends from Vermont, New York and Massachusetts southward to northern Georgia, and westward to southern Louisiana, Arkansas, southeastern Oklahoma, Indiana and Michigan. Populations appear to be rare or absent from most of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and rare or absent from a broad zone from Missouri eastward through Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. As of 2025, we have only three site records, with one from each of the three physiographic provinces. The Coastal Plain site appears to support a breeding population, with adults observed on three separate occasions.

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: The adults have been observed from March through August in different areas of the range, with a seasonal peak from May through July. As of 2025, our records span from late-May through late-June. Local populations in North Carolina appear to have a very brief flight period and produce a single brood each year.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Local populations are commonly found is mesic, wooded or semi-wooded settings that support the host plants. Our very limited records as of 2025 are from a semi-wooded residential neighborhood with surrounding mesic forest, a coastal bottomland site, and a mesic forest in the Piedmont.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae reportedly feed on American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) and American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) (Forbes, 1923; Robinson et al., 2023). As of 2025, we do not have any feeding records for North Carolina. At a collection site in Madison County, neither American Hop-hornbeam or American Hazelnut is present, but Beaked Hazelnut (C. cornuta) is and may be serving as the host plant.

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and are often seen resting on low vegetation during the day.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S2S3]

State Protection:

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Anacampsis tristrigella - None

Photos: 4

	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-25 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-25 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22 Chatham Co. Comment: