Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Argyresthiidae Members:	Argyresthia Members:	15 NC Records

Argyresthia austerella Zeller, 1873 - No Common Name

Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Yponomeutoidea

Family:
Argyresthiidae

P3 Number:
36a0067

MONA Number:
2441.00

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

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

Technical Description, Adults: Busck (1907a)

Adult Markings: Argyresthia austerella is an easily recognizable species that has a silvery-white forewing with two wide blackish-brown bands near the middle of the wing that run nearly parallel to each other. These are followed by an extensive area of concolorous blotching on the apical fourth of the wing. The head and thorax are silvery-white above, while the antenna is boldly annulated with alternating blackish-brown and white bands.

The two bands on the forewing forewing run obliquely from the inner margin outwardly to the costa, where they nearly merge. The first begins along the inner margin at around one-third the wing length from the base, and the second just beyond one-half. The second is wider than the first, and both tend to gradually widen towards the costa. The second band is followed by a confused region of concolorous, irregular blotches and spots that are partially fused and extend to the outer margin. Additional sparse spotting is often present between the two bands on the costal half, and along the costal between the base and the first band. The fringe along the outer margin has a mix of white and grayish-brown scales, with a dark basal band sometimes evident. The hindwing and fringe are grayish-brown, and the legs are white with dark-brown spots along the outer portions.

Wingspan: 8-9 mm (Busck, 1907a).

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

Immatures and Development: As of 2025, the larval host plants and larval life history are undocumented.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Argyresthia austerella is broadly distributed across much of the eastern half of the US, as well southern Ontario and Quebec. In the US the range extends from Maine and other New England states southwestward to Georgia and central Florida, and westward to central Texas, central Oklahoma, eastern Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota. As of 2025, all of our records are from the Piedmont and Blue Ridge.

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 observed from February through September in different areas of the range, with those in the southernmost populations flying earlier in the year. As of 2025, our records range from mid-April through mid-July, with populations in the Blue Ridge flying a few weeks later than those in the Piedmont.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: As of 2025, most of our records are from sites with hardwood forests, and primarily from bottomland and mesic sites.

Larval Host Plants: As of 2025, the hosts plant are apparently undocumented. - View

Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights.

Wikipedia

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR SNR [S3]

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

Comments:

Photo Gallery for Argyresthia austerella - None

Photos: 14

iNaturalist	Recorded by: chilipossum - Cricket Raspet on 2025-05-18 Stanly Co. Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/286142627***(c) Cricket Raspet, some rights reserved (CC BY)\| Public Positional Accuracy= ? Elevation=413.4 feet	iNaturalist	Recorded by: hydaticus - Robby Deans on 2025-05-13 Forsyth Co. Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/295853172***(c) Robby Deans, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)\| Public Positional Accuracy=8 m Elevation=947.1 feet
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, Larry Chen, Sarah Toner, Kaitlyn Elliott on 2025-05-01 Orange Co. Comment:	iNaturalist	Recorded by: bullhillnaturalist on 2025-04-30 Stanly Co. Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/278604215***(c) bullhillnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)\| Public Positional Accuracy=4 m Elevation=525.8 feet
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-12 Watauga Co. Comment:	iNaturalist	Recorded by: taroman - tom ward on 2024-06-21 Buncombe Co. Comment: iNat record - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/234973998***(c) tom ward, all rights reserved\| Public Positional Accuracy=28677 m
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-10 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-06 Madison Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-09 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-12 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-05-17 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-05-17 Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-05-05 Wake Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger, Brian Bockhahn on 2014-06-10 Avery Co. Comment:

Photos of Argyresthia austerella from iNaturalist
© bullhillnaturalist - 2025-04-30 - Stanly Co. iNat record	© chilipossum - Cricket Raspet - 2025-05-18 - Stanly Co. iNat record	© hydaticus - Robby Deans - 2025-05-13 - Forsyth Co. iNat record	© taroman - tom ward - 2024-06-21 - Buncombe Co. iNat record

Argyresthia austerella Zeller, 1873 - No Common Name

Photo Gallery for Argyresthia austerella - None

Photos of Argyresthia austerella from iNaturalist