Moths of North Carolina
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11 NC Records

Pristerognatha agilana (Clemens, 1860) - No Common Name


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: OlethreutiniP3 Number: 620630.01 MONA Number: 2831.00 MONA Synonym: Pristerognatha fuligana
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In addition to having post-median silvery lines, Pristerognatha agilana typically has two pairs of short, yellowish antemedial costal strigulae (each pair sometimes fused), with a silver line that extends dorsally from each pair (MPG). The silver lines sometimes fuse as the extend towards the middle of the wing. A centrally located silver spot is often present between the antemedial and first postmedial silver lines. Opposite the antemedial costal striae there is a pair of silver dorsal striae or elongated spots that are often fused or poorly defined. The costal strigulae often have white scales at the costal margin.

Pristerognatha agilana is sometimes confused with Olethreutes auricapitana. A key distinction is that the two silvery antemedial lines of O. auricapitana fuse to form a V that terminates about one-third of the way between the costa and the dorsal margin. The two lines often remain separate and extend much farther inward in Pristerognatha agilana. The former also has a silvery spot above the V near the dorsal margin (absent in P. agilana), along with golden colored palps versus more whitish palps for P. agilana.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae are borers that feed inside the stems and root bases of jewelweeds. Based of specimens collected in Iowa (BugGuide) and North Carolina, each stem typically houses a single larva. The larvae appear to feed first in the stems -- most commonly in the lower half -- then work their way to the swollen root bases. Infected plants have dark brown to brownish-black frass that can often be detected by holding the stem up to bright light. In Iowa, the larvae overwinter in the dead stems and root bases where they form a plug at both ends of the stem or root base before pupating in the spring. In North Carolina, both larvae and pupae have been found inside the root bases in mid-August, which suggests that overwintering can occur in either stage. Local emergence is presumably tied to when jewelweeds are moderately large, and infected plants often appear wilted even when growing in wet soils. Larvae have been found in North Carolina using both of our native species of Impatiens. The older larvae have whitish to dull cream-colored bodies, a dark brown or brownish-black head, and a dull yellowish prothoracic shield.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Pristerognatha agilana is found throughout most of the eastern US where populations of jewelweed are present. It appears to be generally absent from most of the southeastern Coastal Plain. As of 2023, all of our records are from the Blue Ridge and Piedmont.
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
Immature 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 April through October in different areas of the eastern US. Our rather limited records as of 2023 are from April through July. Local populations appear to be univoltine, with the larvae overwintering, then pupating with the spring warm-up.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records from the Blue Ridge are mostly from cove forests, rich woods, mountain slopes, and alluvial forests, and often where wet ditches and seepages are present that support jewelweeds. The habitats used in the Piedmont are almost always mesic to wet habitats that support the host plants.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae feed on species of Impatiens (Robinson et al., 2010). Both Spotted Jewelweed (I. capensis) and Pale Jewelweed (I. pallida) are used in North Carolina, although the latter appears to be used more commonly in the Blue Ridge. - View
Observation Methods: The adult occasionally visit lights and the larvae can be found in jewelweed stalks and root bases. Look for plants that are wilted even though they are growing in wet soils. If a stem is split near the base and into the root stock, frass and a whitish larva will usually be present.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Broadleaf Herbaceous Mires
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S2S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands(.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Pristerognatha agilana - No common name

Photos: 16

Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-04-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-16
Macon Co.
Comment: A split Impatiens pallida stem with a pupa near the root base.
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-16
Macon Co.
Comment: A larva that was removed from the root base of Impatiens pallida. 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-16
Macon Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2023-08-05
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-28
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-18
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-18
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: J. Merrill Lynch on 2015-05-12
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Merrill Lynch on 2015-05-12
Watauga Co.
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Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2012-04-27
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2012-04-27
Wake Co.
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