Moths of North Carolina
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Homosetia Members:
9 NC Records

Homosetia costisignella (Clemens, 1863) - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tineoidea Family: TineidaeSubfamily: MeessiinaeTribe: [Meessiini]P3 Number: 300130.00 MONA Number: 289.00
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: Dietz (1905)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: The following description is based primarily on that of Dietz (1905). The labial palp is dark fuscous and whitish at the apex. The head is sordid ocherous and intermixed with brown, while the antenna is dark fuscous above and paler beneath. The thorax and ground color of the forewing are reddish fulvous and dusted with varying levels of silvery whitish scales. The reddish ground is replaced on the apical third of the forewing by a series of loosely defined brownish black and whitish blotches that are best developed on the inner two-thirds. The costal margin has a series of alternating thin black longitudinal bars and whitish spots that extend from about one-fourth the wing length to the apex. These continue as a series of alternating black and whitish spots along the basal third of the fringe. A blackish brown scale tuft is present at the end of cell in unworn specimens. The hindwings is gray and darker towards the apex, and the cilia concolorous. The abdomen is fuscous brown above. The anterior and middle pair of the legs are dark brown externally, with the tarsal joints pale at the apex. The hindleg is paler than the other two.
Wingspan: 10-12 mm (Dietz, 1905; Forbes, 1923)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larval life history is undocumented.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Homosetia costisignella is found in eastern North America in extreme southern Canada (Quebec; Nova Scotia) and Maine southward to South Carolina, the southern Appalachians, and central Alabama. Farther north, the range extends westward to Illinois and Missouri. This species appears to occur statewide in North Carolina, with populations occurring from coastal areas to the higher elevations in the western mountains.
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 are in flight in areas outside of North Carolina from April through September, with a peak in activity in June through August. As of 2020, our records extend from late April through late September.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The preferred habitat is unknown. Most of our records are from either semi-wooded residential neighborhoods or natural areas with deciduous forests. Forbes (1923) reported that this species prefers damp woods in New York.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae have never been reported, but presumably do not depend on specific plant hosts based on the fact that almost all tineids feed on either plant or animal remains, or fungi and lichens. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to 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: 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 costisignella - No common name

Photos: 7

Recorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2021-05-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-10
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-10
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2019-05-19
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2015-05-19
Stokes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2015-04-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger on 2014-09-27
Beaufort Co.
Comment: