Moths of North Carolina
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Homosetia Members:
15 NC Records

Homosetia argentinotella (Chambers, 1876) - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tineoidea Family: TineidaeSubfamily: MeessiinaeTribe: [Meessiini]P3 Number: 300125.00 MONA Number: 284.00
Comments: Homosetia is a small genus with 12 recognized species that are found only in North America.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Chambers (1876), Forbes (1923)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following is based in part on the original description by Chambers (1876). The face and labial palps are pale stramineous, except for the outer surface of the second joint of the palp, which is black. The antenna extends almost to the wing tip, and is blackish except for the apical fifth that grades into creamy white. The vertex, upper surface of the thorax and the basal third of the forewing are rich black. The ground color of the remainder of the wing is pale whitish with varying levels of brownish to blackish dusting, and can sometimes appear strongly bronzed. Beginning at about mid-wing, the costal half is heavily suffused with black. The black becomes better organized posteriorly into a black streak that expands to fill much of the apical region. A series of 6-8 boldly contrasting, obliquely curved, white dashes occurs along the costa from about one-half to the apex. The inner margin has a somewhat similar series that often begins as small whitish spots around one-half. The marks lengthen into progressively longer dashes towards the outer margin. A dark and somewhat diffuse streak of varying size and intensity is present on the inner half from about one-third to two-thirds the wing length. The dorsal cilia are whitish with two dark brown marginal lines behind the tip of the wing. The hindwing and abdomen are purplish fuscous above, and the legs are blackish with black and white banding on the tarsi.
Wingspan: 10-17 mm (Forbes, 1923)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The life history and ecology of the larval stage is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Homosetia argentinotella is found in eastern North America, with scattered populations occurring from Ontario, Quebec, and Maine to as far south as Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. The range extends westward to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, Illinois, and Michigan. Populations in North Carolina occur in all three physiographic provinces, but are most common in the Piedmont compared with the Coastal Plain 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 recorded from March through December in areas outside of North Carolina, with most records from April through September except for Florida. As of 2020, our records are from early March through early October. There is no strong seasonal peak in activity, which suggests that this species has two or more broods each year.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The habitats are poorly documented. This species presumably does not feed on living plant tissue and is not dependent on particular host plants. Our records include residential neighborhoods as well as a few more natural, forested habitats.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae have never been reported. Like most other tineids, they presumably feed on either organic debris such as bird feathers and animal and plant remains, or feed on fungi and lichens. - View
Observation Methods: The adults occasionally visit 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: This species is seemingly uncommon throughout its range. We currently do not have sufficient information on the distribution and abundance of this species in North Carolina to assess its conservation status.

 Photo Gallery for Homosetia argentinotella - No common name

Photos: 13

Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2024-04-14
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik on 2023-07-13
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2022-08-20
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2020-07-15
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall on 2020-05-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2018-06-01
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: T. DeSantis on 2015-04-09
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2014-10-03
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2014-09-27
Beaufort Co.
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Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2014-09-04
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2011-04-18
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Harry Wilson on 2010-09-17
Wake Co.
Comment: